Initialization of a wireless communication network

A station for use in a wireless communication network, the station comprising a transmitter arrangement, a receiver arrangement and a processor circuit coupled to the transmitter arrangement and the receiver arrangement, the processor circuit being configured to start up in a not-associated state and to cause the transmitter arrangement to transmit association request messages in the not-associated state, the processor circuit being configured to switch to an associated state upon reception at the receiver arrangement of an association grant in response to one of the association request messages, the processor circuit being configured to establish an associated route for communication with an association unit during subsequent communication of operating messages to an association unit, the associated route including a source of the association grant, and, if the source of the association grant is not the association unit, the operating route between the source of the association grant and the association unit previously established for the source of the association grant in response to association request messages and/or the association grants for intermediate stations, the processor circuit being configured to cause the transmitter arrangement to initiate and transmit association grants in response to association request messages, but only after switching to the associated state.

A method of operating a wireless communication network that comprises an association unit and a plurality of stations, the method comprising

• installing the stations in a not-associated state;
• transmitting association request messages from stations in the not-associated state;
• transmitting the association grants in response to the association request messages,
• switching each station to an associated state when the station has received an association grant in response to one of its association request messages;
• storing route information defining a route between the station that has switched to the associated state and the association unit, the route including the station that has sent the associated grant and, if the source of the association grant is not the association unit, the operating route between the source of the association grant and the association unit previously established for the source of the association grant in response to association request messages and/or the association grants for intermediate stations;
• wherein
• each association grant is transmitted only from the association unit or from an intermediate station, the latter only after said intermediate station has switched to the associated state upon an association grant from the association unit or one of the at least part of the stations switched to the associated state directly or indirectly based on an association grant from the association unit.