Wireless networking capabilities have consistently improved. One of the more recent Wi-Fi developments is MU-MIMO (multi-user/multiple input-multiple output) which was codified as part of the IEEE 802.11ac standard promulgated by the Instituted of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. In more detail, MU-MIMO now allows access points to maximize the benefits of MIMO technology with the ability to communicate with up to 4 clients concurrently at a high speed with beamforming. The clients require a certain physical separation to avoid interference. This feature is for downstream communications of network packets from an access point to a station.
Packet capture is used for troubleshooting issues in a wireless network. The issues range from connectivity (e.g., loss of connectivity, intermittent re-connections), performance (e.g., low speed for certain stations), authentication, and coverage. Conventionally, a listening device placed between an access point and a station was able to sufficiently capture packets for analysis.
However, with MU-MIMO data streams being sent concurrently, and also being spatially separate, makes it difficult if not impossible to sample packets from 4 stations concurrently.
Therefore, what is needed is a robust technique for dynamically forming packet capture groups for capturing packets from a MU-MIMO capable access point.