FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * FAINTUCH AMIR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ATHEROS COMMUNICATIONS INC [ATHR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior Vice President & GM (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O ATHEROS COMMUNICATIONS, INC., 1700 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/16/2011 (Street) SAN JOSE,, CA 95110 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/16/2011   A   15,000 (1) A $ 0 39,480 D   Common Stock 01/16/2011   A   50,000 (2) A $ 0 89,480 D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
FAINTUCH AMIR C/O ATHEROS COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 1700 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE SAN JOSE,, CA 95110			Senior Vice President & GM

Signatures

Bruce P. Johnson, Attorney-in-fact		01/19/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	On February 23, 2010, the Reporting Person was granted restricted stock units ("RSUs") that would vest subject to the Issuer's satisfaction of certain performance criteria for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. The performance criteria for 2010 were met and certified by the Compensation Committee of the Issuer's Board of Directors on January 16, 2011, resulting in vesting of the RSUs as follows: The RSUs will vest and be settled in shares of the Issuer's common stock over three (3) years, with the first 1/3 of the RSUs vesting on February 8, 2011 and the remaining RSUs vesting in equal quarterly installments over the following two (2) years.
(2)	Represents Restricted Stock Units that will vest and be settled in shares of Common Stock in 16 equal quarterly installments commencing on May 8, 2011.

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