A method for link adaptation in a network, performed by a first network device, the method comprising: receiving, at the first network device, from a second network device, a first communication frame having a first control field, wherein the first control field includes a first subfield that includes an indication of a request for link quality information and a second subfield indicating whether the first control field is to be interpreted according to a first communication protocol or according to a second communication protocol and wherein the second subfield of the first control field is set to a value indicating that the first control field is to be interpreted according to the first communication protocol; determining (412, 462) a link quality metric corresponding to a wireless communications link between a first communication device and a second communication device based on the received first communication frame, wherein the link quality metric comprises at least one of i) a signal to noise ratio, SNR, ii) a received signal strength indicator, RSSI, and iii) a link margin metric; generating (424, 474), according to the first communication protocol, a second communication frame having a header, wherein the header includes i) a first subfield of a second control field to specify a modulation and coding scheme for use via the wireless communications link, ii) a second subfield of the second control field that includes the link quality metric; and causing (428, 478) the second communication frame to be transmitted to the second network device, wherein the second communication protocol permits setting the first subfield in the first control field to indicate the request for link quality information only in a communication frame i) that is a sounding frame, or ii) that is a frame that announces a null data packet is to follow the communication, and wherein the first communication protocol permits setting said first subfield in a communication frame i) that is not a sounding frame, or ii) that is not a frame that announces a null data packet is to follow the communication frame. receiving, at the first network device, from a second network device, a first communication frame having a first control field, wherein the first control field includes a first subfield that includes an indication of a request for link quality information and a second subfield indicating whether the first control field is to be interpreted according to a first communication protocol or according to a second communication protocol and wherein the second subfield of the first control field is set to a value indicating that the first control field is to be interpreted according to the first communication protocol; determining (412, 462) a link quality metric corresponding to a wireless communications link between a first communication device and a second communication device based on the received first communication frame, wherein the link quality metric comprises at least one of i) a signal to noise ratio, SNR, ii) a received signal strength indicator, RSSI, and iii) a link margin metric; generating (424, 474), according to the first communication protocol, a second communication frame having a header, wherein the header includes i) a first subfield of a second control field to specify a modulation and coding scheme for use via the wireless communications link, ii) a second subfield of the second control field that includes the link quality metric; and i) a first subfield of a second control field to specify a modulation and coding scheme for use via the wireless communications link, ii) a second subfield of the second control field that includes the link quality metric; and causing (428, 478) the second communication frame to be transmitted to the second network device, wherein the second communication protocol permits setting the first subfield in the first control field to indicate the request for link quality information only in a communication frame i) that is a sounding frame, or ii) that is a frame that announces a null data packet is to follow the communication, and wherein the first communication protocol permits setting said first subfield in a communication frame i) that is not a sounding frame, or ii) that is not a frame that announces a null data packet is to follow the communication frame.