PCTEL Secure - Discontinued Operations - Summary of Operations for Discontinued Operations Included in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Operating expenses	$ 0	$ 713	$ 191	$ 2,216
Other income, net	0	0	0	(41)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	(686)
Adjustments to redemption value of noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	647
Loss from discontinued operations, before income taxes	0	(713)	(191)	(2,136)
Benefit for income tax	0	(297)	(82)	(622)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ 0	$ (416)	$ (109)	$ (1,514)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations per common share:
Basic	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.09)
Diluted	$ 0.00	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.09)
Weighted average shares:
Basic	17,841	17,493	17,766	17,368
Diluted	18,354	17,779	18,093	17,368

PCTEL Secure - Discontinued Operations - Summary of Operations for Discontinued Operations Included in Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified

3 Months Ended

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Sep. 30, 2012

Sep. 30, 2013

Sep. 30, 2012

Business Combinations [Abstract]

Operating expenses

$ 0

$ 713

$ 191

$ 2,216

Other income, net

(41)

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

(686)

Adjustments to redemption value of noncontrolling interests

647

Loss from discontinued operations, before income taxes

(713)

(191)

(2,136)

Benefit for income tax

(297)

(82)

(622)

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax

$ 0

$ (416)

$ (109)

$ (1,514)

Income (loss) from discontinued operations per common share:

Basic

$ 0.00

$ (0.02)

$ (0.01)

$ (0.09)

Diluted

$ 0.00

$ (0.02)

$ (0.01)

$ (0.09)

Weighted average shares:

Basic

17,841

17,493

17,766

17,368

Diluted

18,354

17,779

18,093

17,368

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Overall income (loss) from a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, before income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items. Includes the following (before income tax): income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.

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