Method and apparatus for inferring wireless scan information without performing scanning or performing limited scanning

A network device comprising:

• a memory;
• a process executing instructions stored in the memory to:
• collect, while the network device operating in a first mode in a wireless network, a first set of data from at least a second access point in the wireless network;
• transmit a second set of data to and receiving a third set of data from at least one client device associated with the wireless network by the network device in a second mode;
• determine whether a number of access points in the wireless network is greater than or equal to a number of wireless channels supported by the wireless network;
• in response to the number of access points in the wireless network being greater than or equal to the number of wireless channels supported by the wireless network:
• collect network data over a first wireless channel supported by the wireless network;
• and
• receive network data associated with other wireless channels supported by the wireless network from a network coordination device (NCD), wherein the NCD collects network data from each access point in the wireless network to generate a radio frequency (RF) neighborhood graph, and wherein the received network data associated with the other wireless channels from the NCD is based on the RF neighborhood graph.

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a hardware processor within a first access point, causes the processor to:

• collect, while the first access point operating in a first mode in a wireless network, a first set of data from at least a second access point in the wireless network;
• transmit a second set of data to and receiving a third set of data from at least one client device associated with the wireless network by the network device in a second mode;
• determine whether a number of access points in the wireless network is greater than or equal to a number of wireless channels supported by the wireless network;
• in response to the number of access points in the wireless network being greater than or equal to the number of wireless channels supported by the wireless network:
• collect network data over a first wireless channel supported by the wireless network;
• and
• receive network data associated with other wireless channels supported by the wireless network from a network coordination device (NCD), wherein the NCD collects network data from each access point in the wireless network to generate a radio frequency (RF) neighborhood graph, and wherein the received network data associated with the other wireless channels from the NCD is based on the RF neighborhood graph.