Dynamic transmission mode selection based on wireless communication device data rate capabilities

A communication system comprising:

• a wireless access node having a plurality of ports;
• the wireless access node configured to exchange wireless communications over the ports with a plurality of wireless communication devices that are individually identified by device identifiers;
• a control system configured to individually allocate the wireless communication devices into a plurality of categories based on the device identifiers and determine one of the categories having a majority of the wireless communication devices;
• the control system configured to configure the ports of the wireless access node to utilize a multiple-input and multiple-output two transmit and two receive mode for exchanging the wireless communications if the one category having the majority of the wireless communication devices comprises a first data rate capability;
• the control system configured to configure the ports of the wireless access node to utilize a multiple-input and multiple-output four transmit and four receive mode for exchanging the wireless communications if the one category having the majority of the wireless communication devices comprises a second data rate capability;
• and
• the wireless access node configured to exchange additional wireless communications over the ports with the wireless communication devices using the port configuration.

A wireless access node comprising:

• a plurality of ports;
• a wireless communication transceiver configured to exchange wireless communications over the ports with a plurality of wireless communication devices that are individually identified by device identifiers;
• a processing system configured to individually allocate the wireless communication devices into a plurality of categories based on the device identifiers and determine one of the categories having a majority of the wireless communication devices;
• the processing system configured to configure the ports of the wireless access node to utilize a multiple-input and multiple-output two transmit and two receive mode to exchange the wireless communications if the one category having the majority of the wireless communication devices comprises a first data rate capability;
• the processing system configured to configure the ports of the wireless access node to utilize a multiple-input and multiple-output four transmit and four receive mode to exchange the wireless communications if the one category having the majority of the wireless communication devices comprises a second data rate capability;
• and
• the wireless communication transceiver configured to exchange additional wireless communications over the ports with the wireless communication devices using the port configuration.