Wireless station steering based on station data exchange capacity

1. A computer-implemented method, in an access point of a data communication network, for steering wireless stations based on station data exchange capacity, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a probe request data packet from a wireless station seeking to join a channel of the plurality of channels supported by the access point;

determining dual-band capability of the wireless station as indicated by the probe request, and assigning the wireless station to a low throughput channel responsive to not having dual-band capability;

responsive to having dual-band capability, determining a high throughput capability of the wireless station as indicated by the probe request;

responsive to having dual-band capability and high throughput capability, assigning the wireless station to a high throughput channel;

responsive to having dual-band capability and not having high throughput capability, assigning the wireless station to a low throughput channel; and

generating a probe response data packet for transmission to the wireless station, the probe response comprising a channel assignment of at least one of the low throughput channel and the high throughput channel.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that very high throughput capability is unavailable; and

determining a modulation type as a factor for implying very high throughput capability.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining a modulation type.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining MU beamformer transmit capability; and

responsive to having MU beamformer transmit capability, assign to the high throughput channel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining MU beamformee capability; and

responsive to having MU beamformee capability, assign to the high throughput channel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining supported channel width set; and

responsive to having a supported channel width, assign to the high throughput channel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining 40 MHz Intolerance; and

responsive to having 40 MHz intolerance, assign to the high throughput channel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining whether more than two spatial transmit streams are supported; and

responsive to having support for more than two spatial transmit streams, assign to the high throughput channel.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high throughput channel comprises a 5.0GHz channel and the low throughput channel comprises a 2.4GHz channel.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by a processor, performs a computer-implemented method, in an access point, for steering wireless stations based on station data exchange capacity, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a probe request data packet from a wireless station seeking to join a channel of the plurality of channels supported by the access point;

determining dual-band capability of the wireless station as indicated by the probe request, and assigning the wireless station to a low throughput channel responsive to not having dual-band capability;

responsive to having dual-band capability, determining a high throughput capability of the wireless station as indicated by the probe request;

responsive to having dual-band capability and high throughput capability, assigning the wireless station to a high throughput channel;

responsive to having dual-band capability and not having high throughput capability, assigning the wireless station to a low throughput channel; and

generating a probe response data packet for transmission to the wireless station, the probe response comprising a channel assignment of at least one of the low throughput channel and the high throughput channel.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining that very high throughput capability is unavailable; and

determining a modulation type as a factor for implying very high throughput capability.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the determining the high throughput capability comprises:

determining a modulation type.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises, wherein the determining the high output capability comprises:

determining MU beamformer transmit capability; and

responsive to having MU beamformer transmit capability, assign to the high throughput channel.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises, wherein the determining the high output capability comprises:

determining MU beamformee capability; and

responsive to having MU beamformee capability, assign to the high throughput channel.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises, wherein the determining the high output capability comprises:

determining supported channel width set; and

responsive to having a supported channel width, assign to the high throughput channel.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises, wherein the determining the high output capability comprises:

determining 40MHz Intolerance; and

responsive to having 40 MHz intolerance, assign to the high throughput channel.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises, wherein the determining the high output capability comprises:

determining whether more than two spatial transmit streams are supported; and

responsive to having support for more than two spatial transmit streams, assign to the high throughput channel.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the high throughput channel comprises a 5.0GHz channel and the low throughput channel comprises a 2.4GHz channel.

19. An access point for steering wireless stations based on station data exchange capacity, the access point comprising:

a processor;

a network interface;

a memory,

wherein the network interface detects a probe request data packet from a wireless station seeking to join a channel of the plurality of channels supported by the access point;

a local steering module comprising a packet analyzer to determining dual-band capability of the wireless station as indicated by the probe request, and assigning the wireless station to a low throughput channel responsive to not having dual-band capability,

wherein the local steering module, responsive to having dual-band capability, determines a high throughput capability of the wireless station as indicated by the probe request,

wherein the local steering module, responsive to having high throughput capability, assigns the wireless station to a high throughput channel; and

a station connection manager to generate a probe response data packet for transmission to the wireless station, the probe response comprising a channel assignment of at least one of the low throughput channel and the high throughput channel.