Associating a wireless station with an access point

A method of associating a station to one of a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting a test link request to each of one or more access points;
• (b) receiving a corresponding test link response for each of one or more of the test link requests, the corresponding test link response including an uplink signal quality to the corresponding access point;
• (c) measuring a downlink signal quality of the corresponding access point for each corresponding test link response;
• (e) identifying at least one access point having a downlink signal quality above a predetermined threshold;
• and
• (f) associating to the access point, from among the at least one access point identified in step (e), having the highest uplink signal quality.

Apparatus for associating a station to one of a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the apparatus comprising:

• a detector adapted to measure a downlink signal quality of a message received in a signal from each of one or more access points;
• a transmitter adapted to transmit a test link request to each of the one or more access points;
• a receiver adapted to receive a corresponding test link response for each of one or more of the test link requests, the corresponding test link response including an uplink signal quality to the corresponding access point;
• and
• a comparator adapted to:
• (i) identify at least one access point having a downlink signal quality above a predetermined threshold;
• and
• (ii) identify the access point, from among the at least one access point identified in step (i), having the highest uplink signal quality;
• wherein the apparatus is adapted to associate to the access point identified in step (ii) as having the highest uplink signal quality.

Apparatus for associating a station to one of a plurality of access points in a wireless local area network (WLAN), the apparatus comprising:

• a transmitter adapted to transmit a test link request to each of one or more access points;
• a receiver adapted to receive a corresponding test link response for each of one or more of the test link requests, the corresponding test link response including an uplink signal quality to the corresponding access point;
• a detector adapted to measure a downlink signal quality of the corresponding access point for each corresponding test link response;
• and
• a comparator adapted to:
• (i) identify at least one access point having a downlink signal quality above a predetermined threshold;
• and
• (ii) identify the access point, from among the at least one access point identified in step (i), having the highest uplink signal quality;
• wherein the apparatus is adapted to associate to the access point identified in step (ii) as having the highest uplink signal quality.