Fast link switch between multilink devices

A first multilink device (MLD), comprising:

• a transceiver configured to communicate with a second MLD using at least two communication links;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to perform operations comprising:
• communication with the second MLD via a first link of the at least two communication links for communications between the first MLD and the second MLD, wherein the first MLD comprises a first MLD component that buffers data packets to be transmitted over the first link and a second MLD component that buffers the data packets to be transmitted over the first link;
• detecting that the first link is unavailable for communications;
• switching a radio of the first MLD to a second link of the at least two communication links;
• transmitting an alert to the second MLD regarding the switching from the first one of the at least two communication links to the second one of the at least two communication links;
• and
• communicating with the second MLD via the second link, including transmitting, via the second link, the data packets buffered by the second MLD component that were not transmitted via the first link prior to switching the radio to the second link.

A method performed by a first multilink device (MLD), comprising:

• communicating with a second MLD via a first link of at least two communication links for communications between the first MLD and the second MLD;
• buffering, by a first MLD component of the first MLD, the data packets to be transmitted over the first link;
• buffering, by a second MLD component of the first MLD, the data packets to be transmitted over the first link;
• detecting that the first link is unavailable for communications;
• switching a radio of the first MLD to a second link of the at least two communication links;
• transmitting an alert to the second MLD regarding the switching from the first link to the second link;
• and
• transmitting, via the second link, the data packets buffered by the second MLD component that were not transmitted via the first link prior to switching the radio to the second link.