US Patent 8005030 WLAN diagnostics using traffic stream metrics

Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to facilitating WLAN diagnostics and management using traffic stream metrics. In a data collection stage, according to one implementation of the present invention, localized uplink measurements are taken at a wireless client associated with a wireless access point. During periodic intervals (e.g., every 5 seconds), the wireless client, in one implementation, transmits uplink measurement information to the wireless access point. The wireless access point may also take downlink measurements, which may also include one or more of the following metrics: observed latency, queuing delay, packet loss rate, and packet count information. The wireless access point, in one implementation, may aggregate and report the uplink and downlink metric information to a network management system. In a diagnostic stage, according to one implementation, a wireless network management module performs diagnostics of the WLAN based on the uplink and/or downlink metrics received from the wireless access-point.