An apparatus and a method for equalizing a received signal to generate an equalized signal are disclosed. The apparatus includes a channel estimator for generating a channel estimation value according to a preamble symbol in the received signal and for generating a channel response value according to the channel estimation value, an interference power estimation circuit for generating an interference power estimate according to a hard decision value, the channel response value, and the received signal, and an equalization circuit for equalizing the received signal according to the channel response value and the adjusted interference power estimate to generate the equalized signal. The hard decision value corresponds to the equalized signal.