LM849 - Wi-Fi 6/BT 5.2 2T2R USB Combo Module | LM Technologies
MPN: LM849 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $35.2 | $352.00 |
| 100 | $31.8 | $3,180.00 |
| 500 | $28.4 | $14,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $25.6 | $25,600.00 |
LM849 Overview
A Wi-Fi module (also called a wireless module or RF module) is a pre-certified subsystem that integrates a radio transceiver, baseband processor, RF front-end, and host interface on a single PCB, enabling product designers to add wireless connectivity without writing a full driver stack or performing radio compliance testing from scratch. Wi-Fi modules sit at the bottom of the connectivity hierarchy: RF transceiver -> Wi-Fi/BT module -> wireless SoC -> semiconductor, and they are classified by radio technology (Wi-Fi 6 / 802.11ax), host interface (USB / SDIO / PCIe), and supported bands (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz / 6 GHz).
Key features of the LM849 include 2x2 MU-MIMO on 802.11ax with up to 1200 Mbps physical layer rate, Bluetooth 5.2 dual-mode (BR/EDR/LE) support, USB 3.0 SuperSpeed host interface, integrated RF shielding, and an industrial operating temperature range suitable for OEM embedded designs. The module is pre-certified in many jurisdictions, which removes a major certification barrier for low-to-medium volume product launches.
Typical applications include industrial IoT gateways, point-of-sale terminals, medical telemetry dongles, scientific instrumentation, and commercial wireless display adapters where a USB-attached radio is more practical than an M.2 card. The 2T2R configuration also benefits video streaming and VoIP endpoints that benefit from transmit beamforming and dual-stream receive diversity.
When designing with the LM849, confirm the host platform provides sufficient USB 3.0 bus power during radio transmit peaks (typical peak current ~900 mA) and that the chassis antenna path meets the 50 ohm controlled-impedance requirement of either the IPEX connector variant or the SMT RF pad variant.
Drop-in alternatives for LM849 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with LM849 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RoHS Status, Host Interface, MIMO Configuration, Mounting Type, Supply Voltage.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
LM823
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$9.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →LM76005RNPR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →LM849 Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Wireless Standard | Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) + Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz dual band |
| MIMO Configuration | 2T2R (2x2) |
| Host Interface | USB 3.0 (backward compatible with USB 2.0) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 (BR/EDR/LE dual mode) |
| Antenna Configuration | Dual on-board IPEX micro-coaxial or SMT RF line-out pads (factory option) |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V (USB bus powered) |
| Module Form Factor | USB dongle / module |
| Mounting Type | USB plug-in or board-mount (factory option) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per LM Technologies product page) |
| Target Applications | OEM, industrial, medical, scientific, commercial |
| Radio Compliance | Pre-certified for major jurisdictions (per LM Technologies) |
LM849 Interfaces & Connectors
LM849 exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: Wireless, Bluetooth, Power Input. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax) + Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 (BR/EDR/LE dual mode) |
| Power Input | 5 V (USB bus powered) |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Power & Thermal Characteristics
| Power Input | 5 V (USB bus powered) |
Power input and thermal parameters for LM849 as published by the manufacturer.
Typical Applications
LM849 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial IoT Gateway, Point-of-Sale Terminal, Medical Telemetry Dongle, Scientific Instrumentation Wireless Adapter, Commercial Wireless Display Adapter, OEM Wireless Development Kit Host, Commercial Wireless Kiosk Connectivity.
Industrial IoT Gateway
The LM849 fits industrial IoT gateways that aggregate sensor data over Wi-Fi and BLE, because its USB 3.0 host interface attaches to any Linux SBC or industrial PC without M.2 routing and its 2T2R MIMO sustains reliable uplink even in metal-enclosed factory floors. Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz operation lets installers choose the band with cleaner spectrum, and Bluetooth 5.2 LE provides a backhaul for nearby battery-powered sensors. Placed in a USB port inside the gateway chassis with IPEX antennas brought out to the enclosure wall, the module adds wireless without driving host driver development, and unlike an M.2 card it does not consume a PCIe lane.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminal
The LM849 is well-suited to POS terminals that need simultaneous Wi-Fi backhaul and Bluetooth peripheral pairing (barcode scanners, payment readers). Its USB 3.0 host interface plugs into any standard POS motherboard, and the 2T2R chain delivers robust Wi-Fi 6 throughput even in congested retail Wi-Fi environments where OFDMA helps share spectrum with customer phones. Bluetooth 5.2 LE supports modern payment-pager and BLE-based customer-engagement beacons. Unlike embedded radio modules, the LM849's pre-certified status shortens the time to FCC/CE/ISED compliance for retail rollouts.
Recommended
Medical Telemetry Dongle
The LM849 suits medical telemetry dongles attached to bedside monitors or portable diagnostic devices, where USB attachment to a host tablet PC is the most practical integration path. Its 2T2R MIMO and Wi-Fi 6 throughput sustain high-resolution vital-sign data uploads to hospital EMR servers, while Bluetooth 5.2 LE provides a body-area-network link to wearable sensors. The module's pre-certified radio compliance reduces the IEC 60601-1 system-level EMI/ESD verification workload, although module-level approval does not exempt the host chassis from full-system retest. The SMT RF pad variant permits trace antennas inside a sealed medical enclosure.
Recommended
Scientific Instrumentation Wireless Adapter
The LM849 is a good match for laboratory instruments that previously shipped with Ethernet only and now need wireless data offload for field or collaborative use. Its USB 3.0 host interface attaches without modifying the instrument's main board, and 802.11ax OFDMA maintains throughput even when many instruments share a lab AP. Bluetooth 5.2 enables tablet-based local control apps. The IPEX antenna variant keeps the RF path outside the metal-shielded instrument chassis, preserving EVM at high-order modulations.
Recommended
Commercial Wireless Display Adapter
The LM849 powers USB-attached wireless display adapters that stream 4K video to meeting-room screens, because Wi-Fi 6 2T2R + USB 3.0 bandwidth headroom is sufficient for compressed 4K/30 streams. Bluetooth 5.2 dual-mode carries HID for remote control and presence detection. Plug-and-play USB attachment lets integrators ship a single SKU that works across laptop operating systems, avoiding the driver-portability problems of PCIe-card adapters.
Recommended
OEM Wireless Development Kit Host
The LM849 is ideal as the wireless subsystem inside an OEM development kit or reference design that customers will integrate into their own products. Its USB 3.0 interface removes the need for M.2/PCIe trace routing on the customer's carrier board, and dual antenna variants let one SKU serve both trace-antenna and external-antenna designs. Pre-certified radio compliance lets customers skip the most expensive part of wireless certification. The module's published driver support for Linux, Windows, and macOS lets OEM customers target any host OS without per-OS RF bring-up.
Recommended
Commercial Wireless Kiosk Connectivity
The LM849 fits commercial kiosks (information, ticketing, self-checkout) where the Wi-Fi radio must be upgradeable in the field without opening the host chassis. Its USB plug-in form factor supports field swap-out for newer 802.11 standards without reworking the main board. 2T2R MIMO sustains throughput at the edge of AP coverage where single-stream radios lose link, and Bluetooth 5.2 LE supports proximity-triggered content delivery. Pre-certified compliance simplifies multi-jurisdiction kiosk rollouts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for LM849 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | LM823 | LM760 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | LM Technologies | LM Technologies | LM Technologies |
| Package | USB 3.0 module (IPEX or SMT RF pads) | USB 3.0 module (same form factor) | USB 2.0 module (same form factor) |
| Wireless Standard | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) + BT 5.2 | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + BT 5.0 | Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + BT 4.2 |
| Host Interface | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 2.0 |
| MIMO Configuration | 2T2R | 1T1R | 1T1R |
| Wi-Fi Bands | 2.4 / 5 GHz dual band | 2.4 / 5 GHz dual band | 2.4 / 5 GHz dual band |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 (BR/EDR/LE) | 5.0 (BR/EDR/LE) | 4.2 (BR/EDR/LE) |
| Antenna Variant | Dual IPEX or SMT RF pads (factory option) | Single IPEX or SMT RF pad | Single IPEX or SMT RF pad |
Key Differentiators
- 2T2R MIMO vs 1T1R alternatives (vs LM823)
- Wi-Fi 6 OFDMA vs Wi-Fi 5 OFDM (vs LM760)
- USB 3.0 SuperSpeed vs USB 2.0 high-speed (vs LM760)
- Bluetooth 5.2 LE Audio readiness vs BT 4.2 (vs LM760)
Design Notes
The LM849 draws peak current of approximately 900 mA from the USB 3.0 VBUS rail during simultaneous Wi-Fi TX and Bluetooth traffic. Confirm the host platform can supply this peak without voltage droop below 4.75 V; add a 220 uF bulk capacitor near the USB port if the upstream regulator has insufficient hold-up. Unlike 2.4 GHz-only modules, dual-band 5 GHz TX increases peak current demand by 30-40%, so budget the upstream regulator accordingly.
Keep the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed differential pair (D+/D- and SSRX/SSTX) on the host board routed as a 90 ohm differential impedance with no more than two vias total, and maintain a continuous ground reference plane beneath the traces. The SMT RF pad antenna variant requires a 50 ohm controlled-impedance trace from the module pad to the antenna feed, with no ground cutout beneath the trace. Place the LM849 away from switching DC-DC converters and high-speed digital clocks to preserve EVM at 1024-QAM MCS rates.
Do not assume Windows driver auto-install will succeed on a clean image; LM Technologies publishes signed WHQL drivers separately from the in-box Windows WLAN stack, and enterprise IT environments may block untrusted drivers. For Linux, ensure the kernel build includes CONFIG_CFG80211, CONFIG_MAC80211, and CONFIG_BT, and that the USB 3.0 xHCI driver is loaded before the radio enumerates. Field failures often trace to missing regulatory domain settings (regulatory.db / crda) rather than the module itself.
The LM849 dissipates approximately 2-3 W during sustained 2x2 802.11ax throughput at 5 GHz. In a sealed metal enclosure without airflow, junction temperatures can rise 30-40 C above ambient. Provide a thermal pad or copper pour on the carrier board beneath the module's ground tabs, and avoid stacking the LM849 directly above another heat-dissipating IC. Unlike passive modules, active 2T2R radios have a measurable thermal envelope that affects EVM at high temperature.
USB 3.0 SuperSpeed signaling at 5 Gbps is sensitive to impedance discontinuities; route the SSRX and SSTX pairs with matched length (within 150 mil) and avoid 90-degree bends. Maintain a keep-out zone of at least 3x the trace width from the differential pairs to any aggressor (clock, switching regulator). Eye-diagram compliance at the host connector should be verified with a USB 3.0 compliance fixture before deployment; marginal signals cause intermittent link drops that look like radio issues but are actually PHY issues.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status confirmed from LM Technologies product page. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status not stated on the public product page - set to unknown pending direct vendor inquiry. AEC-Q100 not applicable (consumer/industrial module, not automotive-qualified).