Antenna steering for an access point based upon control frames

The method for operating an access point in a wireless local area network is provided (WLAN). The access point includes a directional antenna for communicating with at least one remote station in a forward link based upon an exchange of packet data comprising a plurality of control frames and data frames. The directional antenna includes a plurality of antenna patterns. The method of claim from the remote station via a second antenna pattern of the step, and a directional antenna for transmitting comprising the steps of: receiving a first control frame from the remote station via a first antenna pattern of the directional antenna, a first data frame to the remote station 2 includes receiving a control frame. The signal quality of the second control frame received via the first signal quality and a second antenna pattern of the first control frame received via the antenna pattern are measured. Each of the measured signal quality associated with the first and second antenna patterns are compared.