Abstract: Methods and hardware for combining multiple, independent, wireless station (or user) emulating, load generators into a cluster, which is a group of independent wireless network load emulators working together to provide arbitrarily large, coordinated 802.11 user communities. A single command, control, and reporting mechanism establishes connections to the load generator nodes making up the cluster, distributes work to the nodes, and collects statistical data from the nodes. Alternate routing simplifies the routing of commands, control requests, and requests for statistical results when only a single load generator node is addressed.

Abstract: A method and system using a single wireless network interface to selectively accept for further processing frames transmitted in a wireless data communications network is disclosed. A host system may emulate multiple, concurrently active stations in the wireless network. Each emulated station is assigned a unique address. A network Medium Access Control (MAC) hardware address of the system's wireless network interface is dynamically updated to reflect the address of one of the emulated wireless stations. The method and system allow multiple wireless stations to be emulated with a single network interface device.

Abstract: A method and system for the capture of data files transmitted over a wired network by a data traffic generator. The mapping and/or translation of network addressing data contained within the captured data frames is such that the frames, when transferred over the wireless medium, appear to have originated from one of a population of emulated wireless stations. The mapping and/or translation of network addressing data contained in data frames received over the wireless medium directed to a specific emulated wireless station is such that the frames, when transmitted over the wired network, appear to be destined for the data traffic generator. The mapping and/or translation function is applied as frames traverse the boundary between the external data source network interface and the wireless network interface.