An approach for using multi-dimensional trellis codes in a communication system over a multi-path channel, such as a wireless local area network, is provided. In this approach, the received signal is equalized and decoded by a joint decision feedback equalizer and multi-dimensional trellis decoder that is based on a multi-stage trellis diagram. The multi-stage trellis diagram used by the decoder comprises at least two stages of state transitions for each stage of state transitions in the encoder. The multi-stage trellis diagram makes the joint decision feedback equalizer and multi-dimensional trellis decoder possible, which in turn makes the use of multi-dimensional trellis codes in such a communication system advantageous.