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    <periodOfReport>2018-08-27</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001478342</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WALSH BRENDAN</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>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP, Product Line Marketing</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
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                    <value>762</value>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7943</value>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22730</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each restricted stock unit (&quot;RSU&quot;) represents a contingent right to receive one share of MaxLinear, Inc. Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">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, twenty-five percent (25%) of the 64,049 RSUs subject to the award shall vest on November 20, 2015, and an additional one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the RSUs subject to the award shall vest on each successive February 20, May 20, August 20, and November 20 thereafter, such that the award will be fully vested on November 20, 2018.  Reporting Person deferred delivery of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs on August 20, 2018. On August 27, 2018, the deferred shares of Common Stock were delivered to the Reporting Person. Shares withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations (and the net issuance) is based on the closing price of the Company's Common Stock in trading on the New York Stock Exchange on August 27, 2018.</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 20,000 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.  Reporting Person deferred delivery of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs on August 20, 2018. On August 27, 2018, the deferred shares of Common Stock were delivered to the Reporting Person. Shares withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations (and the net issuance) is based on the closing price of the Company's Common Stock in trading on the New York Stock Exchange on August 27, 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 25,417 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.  Reporting Person deferred delivery of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs on August 20, 2018. On August 27, 2018, the deferred shares of Common Stock were delivered to the Reporting Person. Shares withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations (and the net issuance) is based on the closing price of the Company's Common Stock in trading on the New York Stock Exchange on August 27, 2018.</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 13,836 RSUs subject to the award shall vest on May 20, 2017, and an additional one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the RSUs subject to the award shall vest on each successive August 20, November 20, February 20 and May 20 thereafter, such that the award will be fully vested on February 20, 2021.  Reporting Person deferred delivery of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs on August 20, 2018. On August 27, 2018, the deferred shares of Common Stock were delivered to the Reporting Person. Shares withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations (and the net issuance) is based on the closing price of the Company's Common Stock in trading on the New York Stock Exchange on August 27, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Subject to the Reporting Person 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 24,245 RSUs subject to the award shall vest on August 20, 2018, and an additional one-sixteenth (1/16th) of the RSUs subject to the award shall vest on each November 20, February 20, May 20, and August 20 thereafter, such that the award will be fully vested on May 20, 2022.  Reporting Person deferred delivery of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the vesting of RSUs on August 20, 2018. On August 27, 2018, the deferred shares of Common Stock were delivered to the Reporting Person. Shares withheld by the Company to satisfy tax withholding obligations (and the net issuance) is based on the closing price of the Company's Common Stock in trading on the New York Stock Exchange on August 27, 2018.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Connie Kwong, as Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-08-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
