Patent ID: 7996236

Claim:
A method to be carried out by a network station arranged to communicate with one of a plurality of access points through a wireless communication protocol, said method comprising: receiving, from said plurality of access points, (i) access point noise level parameters indicative of access point communication quality and (ii) access point traffic load parameters indicative of access point congestion, wherein said access point noise level parameters and said access point traffic load parameters are received as data embedded in messages transmitted from said plurality of access points to said network station; deriving access point signal reception level parameters for said plurality of access points from signal reception levels of messages transmitted from said plurality of access points to said network station; deriving a network station noise level parameter indicative of noise level at said network station; deriving a network station traffic load parameter indicative of congestion at said network station and different from said access point traffic load parameters; and selecting a communication connection with one of said plurality of access points taking at least said access point noise level parameters, said access point traffic load parameters, said access point signal reception level parameters, said network station traffic load parameter, and said network station noise level parameter into account.