Method of identifying a precoding matrix corresponding to a wireless network channel and method of approximating a capacity of a wireless network channel in a wireless network

A method of approximating a capacity of a wireless network channel in a wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving at a subscriber station of a wireless network a plurality of pilot tones;
• estimating at the subscriber station a plurality of channel response matrices and a plurality of noise power terms such that there exists a channel response matrix and a noise power term for each one of the plurality of pilot tones, each one of the plurality of channel response matrices and each one of the plurality of noise power terms corresponding to a distinct one of the plurality of pilot tones;
• performing at the subscriber station a trace operation and a determinant operation on each one of the plurality of channel response matrices in order to obtain a plurality of traces and a plurality of determinants;
• finding at the subscriber station an average value of the plurality of traces, an average value of the absolute value of the plurality of determinants, and an average value of the plurality of noise power terms;
• representing at the subscriber station the capacity of the wireless network channel as a function of the average value of the plurality of traces, the average value of the absolute value of the plurality of determinants, and the average value of the plurality of noise power terms;
• and
• finding at the subscriber station a solution of the function.