A method and corresponding device for performing active scanning in a wireless local area network (LAN). The method includes: receiving, by a first station (STA), a second probe request frame from a second STA, wherein the second probe request frame is transmitted based on broadcast; and determining, by the first STA, whether to transmit a first probe request frame for an active scanning based on the second probe request frame. The first STA determines not to transmit the first probe request frame if the first STA is capable of receiving information related to an AP to be associated based on the second probe request frame.