Method and apparatus of communicating a beacon report

A beacon signal may be provided with data extensions. The data extensions permit additional information to be provided by the beacon signal, thereby reducing the traffic overhead of the network. The data extensions further permit handoffs and handoffs based on offset values. A Measurement Request field corresponding to a beacon request contains a measurement duration value and channel number for which the request applies. The beacon request permits a scan mode. In Active Scan mode, the measuring station (STA) transmits a probe request with a broadcast SSID. In Passive Scan mode, the measuring STA passively receives on the specified channel and return a beacon report containing one information element for each STA from which it detects a beacon or probe response. In Beacon Table mode, the measuring STA returns a beacon report containing the current contents of its beacon table without performing additional measurements.