Characterizing 802.11 wireless link behavior

Since wireless signals propagate through the ether, they are significantly affected by attenuation, fading, multipath, and interference. As a result, it is difficult to measure and understand fundamental wireless network behavior. This creates a challenge for both network researchers, who often rely on simulators to evaluate their work, and network managers, who need to deploy and optimize operational networks. Given the complexity of wireless networks, both communities often rely on simplifying rules, which frequently have not been validated using today’s wireless radios. In this paper, we undertake a detailed characterization of 802.11 link-level behavior using commercial 802.11 cards. Our study uses a wireless testbed that provides signal propagation emulation, giving us complete control over the signal environment. In addition, we use our measurements to analyze the performance of an operational wireless network. Our work contributes to a more accurate understanding of link-level behavior and enables the development of more accurate wireless network simulators.

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