Method and system for WLAN synchronization

1. A first access point for a multi-channel radio system, said first access comprising:

a wireless transceiver to send and receive data; and

a clock,

said first access point to:

scan the multi-channel radio system to receive beacon signals transmitted from other access points operating in the multi-channel radio system;

determine a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) level for each beacon signal received from another access point operating in the multi-channel radio system;

identify a second access point from which a beacon signal was received having a lowest RSSI level of all beacon signals received from other access points in the multi-channel radio system; and

synchronize said clock with the second access point such that a beacon signal transmitted by the first access point is transmitted at the same time as a beacon signal from the second access point.

2. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the first access point scans all channels of the multi-channel radio system to receive beacon signals from other access points in the system.

3. The access point of claim 1 , wherein said first access point, after synchronizing with the second access point, operates on a different channel than the second access point.

4. The access point of claim 1 , wherein said first access point, before synchronizing with the second access point, operates on a different channel than the second access point.

5. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the first access point scans 5 GHz channels defined by the 802.11a standard.

6. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the first access point scans channels of 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio bands.

7. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the first access point is a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) access point.

8. The access point of claim 1 , wherein the first access point transmits beacon signals comprising a value of the clock of the first access point at a time when the first access point transmits that beacon signal.

9. The access point of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing with the second access point comprises adjusting the clock of the first access point using clock data in the beacon signal received from the second access point.

10. A first access point for a multi-channel radio system, said first access comprising:

a wireless transceiver to send and receive data; and

a clock,

said first access point to:

transmit a beacon signal, said beacon signal comprising a value of the clock of the first access point at a time when the first access point transmits that beacon signal,

such that a second access point operating in the multi-channel radio system synchronizes a clock of that second access point by extracting the time data from the beacon signal of the first access point and adjusting the clock of the second access point in accordance with that time data from the beacon signal of the first access point.

11. The access point of claim 10 , wherein said first access point transmits on a first channel prior to synchronizing with said second access point and then changes to transmit on a second channel after synchronizing with said second access point.

12. The access point of claim 10 , the first access point to

scan the multi-channel radio system to receive beacon signals transmitted from other access points operating in the multi-channel radio system;

determine a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) level for each beacon signal received from another access point operating in the multi-channel radio system;

identify an access point from which a beacon signal was received having a lowest RSSI level of all beacon signals received from other access points in the multi-channel radio system; and

synchronize with that access point having the lowest RSSI level such that a beacon signal transmitted by the first access point is transmitted at the same time as a beacon signal from the access point having the lowest RSSI level.

13. The access point of claim 12 , wherein the first access point scans all channels of the multi-channel radio system to receive beacon signals from other access points in the system.

14. The access point of claim 10 , wherein said first access point, before synchronizing with the second access point, operates on a different channel than the second access point.

15. The access point of claim 10 , wherein the first access point transmits on a 5 GHz channel defined by the 802.11a standard.

16. The access point of claim 10 , wherein the first access point transmits on a channel of 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band.

17. The access point of claim 10 , wherein the first access point is a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) access point.

18. Access points for a multi-channel radio system, each access point comprising a wireless transceiver to send and receive data; and a clock, comprising:

a first access point to:

scan the multi-channel radio system to receive beacon signals transmitted from other access points operating in the multi-channel radio system;

determine a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) level for each beacon signal received from another access point operating in the multi-channel radio system;

identify a second access point from which a beacon signal was received having a lowest RSSI level of all beacon signals received from other access points in the multi-channel radio system; and

synchronize with the second access point such that a beacon signal transmitted by the first access point is transmitted at the same time as a beacon signal from the second access point; and

said second access point to:

transmit said beacon signal having a lowest RSSI level at said first access point, that beacon signal comprising a value of the clock of the second access point at a time when the second access point transmits that beacon signal.

19. The access points of claim 18 , wherein said second access point transmits on a first channel prior to synchronizing with said first access point and then changes to transmit on a second channel after synchronizing with said first access point.