a method and system for conserving power in a wlan receiver is provided by a channel estimator for detecting transmitted errors in a transmitted packet and providing equalization for the detected channel errors ; a separate pilot processor for detecting off set errors from the channel estimation and providing off set correction to said equalization for the whole data portion of the packet after the preamble and a control response to the start of each packet for enabling said channel estimator during the preamble and thereafter disabling said channel estimator for the remainder of the packet and storing the estimated value .