Identifier assignment for unassociated stations

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors, the instructions to configure the one or more processors to cause an apparatus of an access point to:

• decode a packet from a station, the packet comprising a media access control (MAC) address of the station;
• determine the station is not associated with the access point based on the packet;
• in response to receiving the packet addressed to the access point and a determination that the station is not associated with the access point, assign a non-associated identification (NAID) to the station;
• encode a response frame to the packet comprising the NAID for the station and the MAC address of the station;
• and
• configure the access point to transmit the response frame to the station.

A method performed by an apparatus of an access point, the method comprising:

• encoding a high-efficiency (HE) trigger frame (TF)(HE TF) for uplink (UL) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) random access (RA) comprising one or more resource units (RUs) for UL OFDMA random access;
• configuring the access point to transmit the HE TF;
• decoding a packet from a station, the packet comprising a media access control (MAC) address of the station, and wherein the packet is to be received on a RU of the one or more RUs for UL OFDMA random access;
• encoding a response frame comprising a non-associated identification (NAID) for the station and the MAC address of the station;
• and
• configuring the access point to transmit the response frame to the station.

An apparatus of a station comprising:

• a memory;
• and processing circuitry couple to the memory, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
• decode a high-efficiency (HE) trigger frame (TF)(HE TF) for uplink (UL) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) random access (RA) comprising one or more resource units (RUs) for UL OFDMA random access;
• decrement a backoff counter to zero for an RU of the one or more RUs;
• encode a packet comprising a media access control (MAC) address of the station;
• configure the station to transmit the packet on the RU of the one or more RUs;
• and
• decode a response frame from at an access point, the response frame indicating the packet was successfully received by the access point, the response frame comprising a non-associated identification (NAID) for the station and the MAC address of the station.