Channel assignment protocol

A method, comprising:

• receiving a neighbor report from managed wireless access points on a network;
• grouping the managed access points into a plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters, wherein the plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters correspond to a plurality of sub-trees of a spanning tree network;
• determining, from the neighbor reports, which of the plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters interfere with other of the plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters;
• determining fixed interference sources;
• determining a degree value for a channel assignment cluster, the degree value is equal to a sum of interfering neighboring channel assignment clusters and the fixed interference sources;
• and
• determining a tier weight for the Channel Assignment Clusters, wherein the tier weight is based on a level in the spanning tree and a traffic load based on relative channel time usage values of radios of the Channel Assignment Clusters.

Logic encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium for execution by a processor, and when executed is operable to:

• receive a neighbor report from managed wireless access points on a network;
• group the managed access points into a plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters, wherein the plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters correspond to a plurality of sub-trees of a spanning tree network;
• determine, from the neighbor reports, which of the plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters interfere with other of the plurality of Channel Assignment Clusters;
• determine fixed interference sources;
• determine a degree value for a channel assignment cluster, the degree value is equal to a sum of interfering neighboring channel assignment clusters and the fixed interference sources;
• and
• determine a tier weight for the Channel Assignment Clusters, wherein the tier weight is based on a level in the spanning tree and a traffic load based on relative channel time usage values of radios of the Channel Assignment Clusters.