join->rx_config_options = cpu_to_le32(wl->rx_config);
        join->rx_filter_options = cpu_to_le32(wl->rx_filter);
        join->bss_type = bss_type;
+       join->basic_rate_set = wl->basic_rate_set;
 
-       if (wl->band == IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ)
-               join->basic_rate_set = cpu_to_le32(CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_1MBPS   |
-                                                  CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_2MBPS   |
-                                                  CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_5_5MBPS |
-                                                  CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_11MBPS);
-       else {
+       if (wl->band == IEEE80211_BAND_5GHZ)
                join->bss_type |= WL1271_JOIN_CMD_BSS_TYPE_5GHZ;
-               join->basic_rate_set = cpu_to_le32(CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_6MBPS  |
-                                                  CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_12MBPS |
-                                                  CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_24MBPS);
-       }
 
        join->beacon_interval = cpu_to_le16(wl->beacon_int);
        join->dtim_interval = WL1271_DEFAULT_DTIM_PERIOD;
        struct wl1271_cmd_trigger_scan_to *trigger = NULL;
        struct wl1271_cmd_scan *params = NULL;
        struct ieee80211_channel *channels;
+       u32 rate;
        int i, j, n_ch, ret;
        u16 scan_options = 0;
        u8 ieee_band;
 
-       if (band == WL1271_SCAN_BAND_2_4_GHZ)
+       if (band == WL1271_SCAN_BAND_2_4_GHZ) {
                ieee_band = IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ;
-       else if (band == WL1271_SCAN_BAND_DUAL && wl1271_11a_enabled())
+               rate = wl->conf.tx.basic_rate;
+       } else if (band == WL1271_SCAN_BAND_DUAL && wl1271_11a_enabled()) {
                ieee_band = IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ;
-       else if (band == WL1271_SCAN_BAND_5_GHZ && wl1271_11a_enabled())
+               rate = wl->conf.tx.basic_rate;
+       } else if (band == WL1271_SCAN_BAND_5_GHZ && wl1271_11a_enabled()) {
                ieee_band = IEEE80211_BAND_5GHZ;
-       else
+               rate = wl->conf.tx.basic_rate_5;
+       } else
                return -EINVAL;
 
        if (wl->hw->wiphy->bands[ieee_band]->channels == NULL)
        params->params.scan_options = cpu_to_le16(scan_options);
 
        params->params.num_probe_requests = probe_requests;
-       /* Let the fw autodetect suitable tx_rate for probes */
-       params->params.tx_rate = 0;
+       params->params.tx_rate = rate;
        params->params.tid_trigger = 0;
        params->params.scan_tag = WL1271_SCAN_DEFAULT_TAG;
 
 
        .tx = {
                .tx_energy_detection         = 0,
                .rc_conf                     = {
-                       .enabled_rates       = CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_1MBPS |
-                                              CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_2MBPS,
+                       .enabled_rates       = 0,
                        .short_retry_limit   = 10,
                        .long_retry_limit    = 10,
                        .aflags              = 0
                },
                .frag_threshold              = IEEE80211_MAX_FRAG_THRESHOLD,
                .tx_compl_timeout            = 700,
-               .tx_compl_threshold          = 4
+               .tx_compl_threshold          = 4,
+               .basic_rate                  = CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_1MBPS,
+               .basic_rate_5                = CONF_HW_BIT_RATE_6MBPS,
        },
        .conn = {
                .wake_up_event               = CONF_WAKE_UP_EVENT_DTIM,
        return ret;
 }
 
+static void wl1271_set_band_rate(struct wl1271 *wl)
+{
+       if (wl->band == IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ)
+               wl->basic_rate_set = wl->conf.tx.basic_rate;
+       else
+               wl->basic_rate_set = wl->conf.tx.basic_rate_5;
+}
+
+static u32 wl1271_min_rate_get(struct wl1271 *wl)
+{
+       int i;
+       u32 rate = 0;
+
+       if (!wl->basic_rate_set) {
+               WARN_ON(1);
+               wl->basic_rate_set = wl->conf.tx.basic_rate;
+       }
+
+       for (i = 0; !rate; i++) {
+               if ((wl->basic_rate_set >> i) & 0x1)
+                       rate = 1 << i;
+       }
+
+       return rate;
+}
+
 static int wl1271_op_config(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, u32 changed)
 {
        struct wl1271 *wl = hw->priv;
 
        mutex_lock(&wl->mutex);
 
-       wl->band = conf->channel->band;
-
        ret = wl1271_ps_elp_wakeup(wl, false);
        if (ret < 0)
                goto out;
 
+       /* if the channel changes while joined, join again */
+       if (changed & IEEE80211_CONF_CHANGE_CHANNEL) {
+               wl->band = conf->channel->band;
+               wl->channel = channel;
+
+               /*
+                * FIXME: the mac80211 should really provide a fixed rate
+                * to use here. for now, just use the smallest possible rate
+                * for the band as a fixed rate for association frames and
+                * other control messages.
+                */
+               if (!test_bit(WL1271_FLAG_STA_ASSOCIATED, &wl->flags))
+                       wl1271_set_band_rate(wl);
+
+               wl->basic_rate = wl1271_min_rate_get(wl);
+               ret = wl1271_acx_rate_policies(wl);
+               if (ret < 0)
+                       wl1271_warning("rate policy for update channel "
+                                      "failed %d", ret);
+
+               if (test_bit(WL1271_FLAG_JOINED, &wl->flags)) {
+                       ret = wl1271_cmd_join(wl, wl->set_bss_type);
+                       if (ret < 0)
+                               wl1271_warning("cmd join to update channel "
+                                              "failed %d", ret);
+               }
+       }
+
        if (changed & IEEE80211_CONF_CHANGE_IDLE) {
                if (conf->flags & IEEE80211_CONF_IDLE &&
                    test_bit(WL1271_FLAG_JOINED, &wl->flags))
                        wl1271_join_channel(wl, channel);
 
                if (conf->flags & IEEE80211_CONF_IDLE) {
-                       wl->rate_set = CONF_TX_RATE_MASK_BASIC;
+                       wl->rate_set = wl1271_min_rate_get(wl);
                        wl->sta_rate_set = 0;
                        wl1271_acx_rate_policies(wl);
                        wl1271_acx_keep_alive_config(
                }
        }
 
-       /* if the channel changes while joined, join again */
-       if (channel != wl->channel &&
-           test_bit(WL1271_FLAG_JOINED, &wl->flags)) {
-               wl->channel = channel;
-               /* FIXME: maybe use CMD_CHANNEL_SWITCH for this? */
-               ret = wl1271_cmd_join(wl, wl->set_bss_type);
-               if (ret < 0)
-                       wl1271_warning("cmd join to update channel failed %d",
-                                      ret);
-       } else
-               wl->channel = channel;
-
        if (conf->flags & IEEE80211_CONF_PS &&
            !test_bit(WL1271_FLAG_PSM_REQUESTED, &wl->flags)) {
                set_bit(WL1271_FLAG_PSM_REQUESTED, &wl->flags);
 
        if (changed & BSS_CHANGED_ASSOC) {
                if (bss_conf->assoc) {
+                       u32 rates;
                        wl->aid = bss_conf->aid;
                        set_bit(WL1271_FLAG_STA_ASSOCIATED, &wl->flags);
 
+                       /*
+                        * use basic rates from AP, and determine lowest rate
+                        * to use with control frames.
+                        */
+                       rates = bss_conf->basic_rates;
+                       wl->basic_rate_set = wl1271_tx_enabled_rates_get(wl,
+                                                                        rates);
+                       wl->basic_rate = wl1271_min_rate_get(wl);
+                       ret = wl1271_acx_rate_policies(wl);
+                       if (ret < 0)
+                               goto out_sleep;
+
                        /*
                         * with wl1271, we don't need to update the
                         * beacon_int and dtim_period, because the firmware
                        clear_bit(WL1271_FLAG_STA_ASSOCIATED, &wl->flags);
                        wl->aid = 0;
 
+                       /* revert back to minimum rates for the current band */
+                       wl1271_set_band_rate(wl);
+                       wl->basic_rate = wl1271_min_rate_get(wl);
+                       ret = wl1271_acx_rate_policies(wl);
+                       if (ret < 0)
+                               goto out_sleep;
+
                        /* disable connection monitor features */
                        ret = wl1271_acx_conn_monit_params(wl, false);
 
        wl->psm_entry_retry = 0;
        wl->power_level = WL1271_DEFAULT_POWER_LEVEL;
        wl->basic_rate_set = CONF_TX_RATE_MASK_BASIC;
+       wl->basic_rate = CONF_TX_RATE_MASK_BASIC;
        wl->rate_set = CONF_TX_RATE_MASK_BASIC;
        wl->sta_rate_set = 0;
        wl->band = IEEE80211_BAND_2GHZ;