The method disclosed in the invention comprises setting a plurality of subcarrier position hypotheses for a received preamble according to a plurality of ideal subcarrier positions and the maximum amount of integer carrier frequency offset (ICFO), generating a plurality of preamble pattern hypotheses by retrieving the received preamble according to the subcarrier position hypotheses, calculating the correlation between the preamble pattern hypotheses and a plurality of specified preamble patterns, determining to which sector the received preamble belongs according to a correct preamble pattern, the specified preamble pattern having the highest correlation with the preamble pattern hypotheses, obtaining a correct subcarrier position according to the sector to which the received preamble belongs; and estimating the ICFO by calculating the offset between the correct subcarrier position and the subcarrier position hypothesis of the preamble pattern hypothesis having the highest correlation with the correct preamble pattern.