Transitioning between wideband and narrowband communications

1. A method comprising:

scanning, by a wireless device, wideband channels to detect an access point;

associating, by the wireless device, with the access point using a particular wideband channel of the wideband channels;

after associating with the access point using the particular wideband channel, sending, by the wireless device to the access point, an indication that the wireless device is to transition from a wideband communication to a narrowband communication; and

receiving, by the wireless device from the access point, a rate set including a plurality of supported rates for communication over a narrowband channel for the narrowband communication, wherein the rate set is a first rate set, and the indication comprises an indication to change from a second rate set comprising a plurality of supported rates for communication over a wideband channel, to the first rate set.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scanning causes the wireless device to detect a plurality of access points, the method further comprising:

determining, by the wireless device, which of the plurality of access points is capable of the narrowband communication; and

selecting, by the wireless device, the access point based on the determining.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the selecting excludes an access point that does not support the narrowband communication.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating, through a narrowband interface of the wireless device over the narrowband channel, data with the access point using a rate of the rate set during a time that the wireless device is performing the narrowband communication.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the indication comprises sending a request to transition between the wideband communication and the narrowband communication, and wherein the request comprises information relating to a narrowband communication mode to which the wireless device is to transition.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless device from the access point in response to the request, updated information relating to an operation of a network.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, by the wireless device from the access point, a response rejecting the request, the response containing a reason code for the rejecting.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after associating with the access point using the particular wideband channel, sending, by the wireless device, an uplink frame in a narrowband communication mode to indicate a transition from the wideband communication to the narrowband communication.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the uplink frame includes information settable to:

a first value indicating that the wireless device is to send a predetermined number of uplink frames in the narrowband communication mode followed by a transition back to a wideband communication mode, and

a second value indicating that the wireless device is to continue communicating in the narrowband communication mode.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication comprises a Traffic Specification (TSPEC) message or a Block ACK message.

11. A wireless device comprising:

a wideband communication interface to communicate over a wideband channel, and a narrowband communication interface to communicate over a narrowband channel;

at least one processor configured to:

control scanning, by the wireless device, of wideband channels to detect an access point;

associate the wireless device with the access point using a particular wideband channel of the wideband channels;

after associating with the access point using the particular wideband channel, send, from the wireless device to the access point, an indication that the wireless device is to transition from a wideband communication to a narrowband communication; and

receive, at the wireless device from the access point, a rate set including a plurality of supported rates for communication over the narrowband channel for the narrowband communication, wherein the rate set is a first rate set, and the indication comprises an indication to change from a second rate set comprising a plurality of supported rates for communication over a wideband channel, to the first rate set.

12. The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the scanning causes the wireless device to detect a plurality of access points, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine which of the plurality of access points is capable of the narrowband communication; and

select the access point based on the determining.

13. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein the selecting excludes an access point that does not support the narrowband communication.

14. The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the wireless device is to communicate, through the narrowband communication interface over the narrowband channel, data with the access point using a rate of the rate set during a time that the wireless device is performing the narrowband communication.

15. The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the indication comprises a request to transition between the wideband communication and the narrowband communication, and wherein the request comprises information relating to a narrowband communication mode to which the wireless device is to transition.

16. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, at the wireless device from the access point in response to the request, updated information relating to an operation of a network.

17. The wireless device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

after associating with the access point using the particular wideband channel, send, from the wireless device, an uplink frame in a narrowband communication mode to indicate a transition from the wideband communication to the narrowband communication.

18. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein the uplink frame includes information settable to:

a first value indicating that the wireless device is to send a predetermined number of uplink frames in the narrowband communication mode followed by a transition back to a wideband communication mode, and

a second value indicating that the wireless device is to continue communicating in the narrowband communication mode.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that upon execution cause a wireless device to:

scan wideband channels to detect an access point;

associate the wireless device with the access point using a particular wideband channel of the wideband channels;

after associating with the access point using the particular wideband channel, send, from the wireless device to the access point, an indication that the wireless device is to transition from a wideband communication to a narrowband communication; and

receive, at the wireless device from the access point, a rate set including a plurality of supported rates for communication over a narrowband channel for the narrowband communication, wherein the rate set is a first rate set, and the indication comprises an indication to change from a second rate set comprising a plurality of supported rates for communication over a wideband channel, to the first rate set.