Patent ID: 8155054

Claim:
A method of supporting wireless stations in a wireless distribution system having a portal and one or more access points comprising: accepting by a first access point (AP) a set of filters from a station associated with the first AP; receiving by the first AP signaling that the station entered into an idle mode; signaling by the first AP to a server in the wireless distribution system that the station entered into the idle mode; forwarding by the first AP the set of filters to the server, the set of filters being applied to messages directed to the station and received by the server through the plurality of access points in the wireless distribution system; receiving by the first AP a re-association request from the station; receiving a buffered message for the station from the server in response to the first AP broadcasting receipt of the reassociation request and in response to the buffered message matching at least one of the set of filters; and forwarding the buffered message to the station in response to the station reassociating with the first AP in the wireless distribution system.