Supply of built-in WLAN modules for notebooks and netbooks may fall short of demand by 20-30% after March, as rush orders from the portable PC sector have caused a shortage in the supply of 802.11n or 802.11g chips, according to sources with network equipment makers.

First-tier notebook maker Compal Electronics has said that the company's notebook shipments in the first quarter of 2009 are likely to break its target of 6.2 million units, with the order visibility for the April-May period now higher than what had been seen previously.

Some network equipment makers have revealed that their shipments of built-in WLAN modules in March will be 30-50% higher than what they shipped in January and February.

Gemtek Technology and Quanta Microsystems have also stated that they have seen significant improvement in orders for their WLAN modules for the second quarter of this year.

Currently, the lead time for the delivery of WLAN chips stands at 8-12 weeks or even longer since the chipmakers have mostly migrated into the 65nm process that requires a longer period of time for production, noted the market sources.