Communications throughput with unicast packet transmission alternative

1. A method for improving throughput in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving into an access point of the communications network a multicast or broadcast packet from a source;

converting the multicast or broadcast packet into a unicast packet at the access point, the conversion taking place at the media access control layer, the multicast or broadcast packet addressed to a station associated with the access point;

determining a minimum physical data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station;

determining an effective unicast rate for transmitting the unicast packet to the station; and

not transmitting the unicast packet to the station and instead transmitting the multicast or broadcast packet to the station if the effective unicast rate does not exceed the minimum physical data rate.

2. An access point for improving throughput in a communications network, the access point configured to:

receive a multicast or broadcast packet from a source;

convert the multicast or broadcast packet into a unicast packet addressed to a station associated with the access point, the conversion taking place at the media access control layer;

determine a minimum physical data rate by which the access point may transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station;

determine an effective unicast rate for transmitting the unicast packet to the station; and

not transmit the unicast packet to the station and transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the station if the effective unicast rate does not exceed the minimum data rate.

3. A system for improving throughput in a communications network, the system comprising:

a first node and a second node, the first node configured to:

transmit to the second node of the communication network;

determine a first physical data rate for transmitting to the second node a multicast or broadcast packet;

determine a second physical data rate for transmitting to the second node one or more unicast packets resulting from conversion of the multicast or broadcast packet into the one or more unicast packets; and

transmit the one or more unicast packets to the second node if the second physical data rate exceeds the first physical data rate and otherwise transmit the multicast or broadcast packet to the second node.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the communications network is a wireless local area network.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a user datagram protocol networking message.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the multicast or broadcast packet comprises a multicast control protocol packet.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first node comprises a multicast-enabled access point.

8. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first node is further configured to:

determine an antenna configuration on which to transmit to the second node;

determine a physical data rate at which to transmit to the second node; and

transmit the one or more unicast packets and the multicast or broadcast packet on the antenna configuration and at the physical data rate to the second node.

9. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first node is further configured to:

determine a third physical data rate by which the first node may transit the multicast or broadcast packet to a third node of the communications network; and

transmit over the communications network the multicast or broadcast packet to the second node and the third node at the lower of the first physical data rate and the third physical data rate.