WLAN with distributed access point functionality

摘要

A wireless local area network (WLAN) system includes a plurality of access points and a WLAN server. Each access point includes a wireless transceiver, which transmits and receives data packets to and from client stations (STAs) in the WLAN system, and is connected to a wired local area network (LAN). First encapsulation logic in the access point encapsulates the data packets received by the wireless transceiver, including the MAC headers and payloads, in data frames and transmits the data frames over the LAN. The WLAN server receives the data frames transmitted over the wired LAN from the access points. Second encapsulation logic in the WLAN server decapsulates the received data packets from the received data frames. A MAC processor in the WLAN server applies MAC processing functions to the MAC headers and payloads of the decapsulated data packets.