<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-11-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001288469</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MAXLINEAR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MXL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001478341</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LING CURTIS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MAXLINEAR, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5966 LA PLACE COURT, SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CARLSBAD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92008</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Technical Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock (par value $0.0001)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4164</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>153550</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock (par value $0.0001)</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                    <value>4164</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>21.99</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>149386</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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                <value>2016-11-21</value>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>923</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock (par value $0.0001)</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>923</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10619</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1761</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
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            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock (par value $0.0001)</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1761</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>33750</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-11-21</value>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1480</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock (par value $0.0001)</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1480</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>34041</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each restricted stock unit (&quot;RSU&quot;) represents a contingent right to receive one share of MaxLinear, Inc. Class A Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 467 shares of Class A Common Stock acquired under the Company's 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on November 15, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Subject to the Reporting Person's continuing to be a Service Provider (as defined in the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan) through each applicable vesting date, one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the 28,316 RSUs subject to the award shall vest on August 20, 2014, and an additional one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the RSUs subject to the award shall vest on each successive November 20, February 20, May 20, and August 20 thereafter, such that the award shall be fully vested on May 20, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Subject to the Reporting Person's continuing to be a Service Provider (as defined in the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan) through each applicable vesting date, one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the 54,000 RSUs subject to the award shall vest on August 20, 2015, and an additional one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the RSUs subject to the award shall vest on each successive November 20, February 20, May 20, and August 20 thereafter, such that the award shall be fully vested on May 20, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Subject to the Reporting Person's continuing to be a Service Provider (as defined in the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan) through each applicable vesting date, one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the 45,388 RSUs subject to the award shall vest on February 20, 2016, and an additional one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the RSUs subject to the award shall vest on each successive May 20, August 20, November 20, and February 20 thereafter, such that the award will be fully vested on November 20, 2019.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Adam Spice, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-11-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
