Performance of a Novel Adaptive Traffic Aggregation Scheme for Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless Mesh Networks are the most promising application of the IEEE 802.11 to the multi-hop wireless domain. The lack of scalability of WMNs installations represents anyhow a major obstacle to their success: in order to overcome such limitation and increase the number of potential users per installation, suitable techniques should be introduced. In this paper we describe a cross-layer scheme that improves the scalability of WMNs using aggregation of MAC layer frames. The scheme couples the routing metrics to the channel state. A closed formula for online computing the optimal burst length based on measurable routing metrics and the number of stations in range is proposed. We tested the scheme on a testbed in the specific case of VoIP flows, and showed a very large gain in the voice capacity attained, even in case of background traffic.

[1]  Yuguang Fang,et al.  Performance of an Aggregation-Based MAC Protocol for High-Data-Rate Ultrawideband Ad Hoc Networks , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.

[2]  Dharma P. Agrawal,et al.  Optimal packet size in error-prone channel for IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function , 2004, 2004 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (IEEE Cat. No.04TH8733).

[3]  Alec Wolman,et al.  A multi-radio unification protocol for IEEE 802.11 wireless networks , 2004, First International Conference on Broadband Networks.

[4]  Tzi-cker Chiueh,et al.  Architecture and algorithms for an IEEE 802.11-based multi-channel wireless mesh network , 2005, Proceedings IEEE 24th Annual Joint Conference of the IEEE Computer and Communications Societies..

[5]  Nitin H. Vaidya,et al.  Multi-channel mac for ad hoc networks: handling multi-channel hidden terminals using a single transceiver , 2004, MobiHoc '04.

[6]  Yuguang Fang,et al.  Performance of a burst-frame-based CSMA/CA protocol for high data rate ultra-wideband networks: analysis and enhancement , 2006, QShine '06.

[7]  Jangeun Jun,et al.  The nominal capacity of wireless mesh networks , 2003, IEEE Wirel. Commun..

[8]  Yuguang Fang,et al.  A Novel Framework for Medium Access Control in Ultra-Wideband Ad Hoc Networks , 2004 .

[9]  Eddie Kohler,et al.  The Click modular router , 1999, SOSP.

[10]  Dzmitry Kliazovich,et al.  Packet concatenation at the IP level for performance enhancement in wireless local area networks , 2008, Wirel. Networks.

[11]  David L. Mills,et al.  Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) Version 4 for IPv4, IPv6 and OSI , 1996, RFC.

[12]  Soung Chang Liew,et al.  Solutions to performance problems in VoIP over a 802.11 wireless LAN , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.

[13]  Robert Tappan Morris,et al.  Architecture and evaluation of an unplanned 802.11b mesh network , 2005, MobiCom '05.

[14]  Jitendra Padhye,et al.  Routing in multi-radio, multi-hop wireless mesh networks , 2004, MobiCom '04.

[15]  Sangjin Hong,et al.  Performance Optimizations for Deploying VoIP Services in Mesh Networks , 2006, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

[16]  Jitendra Padhye,et al.  Comparison of routing metrics for static multi-hop wireless networks , 2004, SIGCOMM '04.

[17]  David A. Maltz,et al.  The Dynamic Source Routing Protocol (DSR) for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks for IPv4 , 2007, RFC.

[18]  Andrea Zanella,et al.  A Cross-Layer Solution for VoIP over IEEE802.11 , 2005 .

[19]  David B. Johnson,et al.  The Dynamic Source Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks , 2003 .

[20]  G. Bianchi,et al.  IEEE 802.11-saturation throughput analysis , 1998, IEEE Communications Letters.

[21]  Ian F. Akyildiz,et al.  Wireless mesh networks: a survey , 2005, Comput. Networks.