While there has been extensive theoretical work on sophisticated joint resource allocation algorithms for wireless networks, their applicability to WiFi (IEEE 802.11) networks is very limited. One of the main reasons is the limitations in changing MAC parameters in current driver implementations. To this end, in this work, we developed a general cross-layer communication interface in the Linux kernel between the IEEE 802.11 PHY and MAC to enable per packet TPC. Based on this implementation, we realize an decentralized rate-power controller (Minstrel-Piano). Our initial evaluation shows that Minstrel-Piano is able to significantly decrease the power levels while maintaining the same link performance. These results are encouraging for a better interference management and consequently, better resource allocation in WiFi networks.
Abstract-A substantial variety of control algorithms to adjust carrier sensing, transmission power, and transmission rate have been proposed for IEEE 802.11 wireless networks in the recent literature. Their objectives range from maximizing throughput, spatial reuse, and fairness to minimizing interference and congestion within the network. However, only a few of these have been implemented and analysed in practice, often because accessing and changing the necessary parameters in the wireless hardware is too difficult. Essentially, there is little understanding about the interactions of jointly adjusted transmission rate, power and carrier sense thresholds, and their impact on the aforementioned objectives. Therefore, in this paper, we focus on transmission rate, power and carrier sensing settings. We provide a detailed description of the common IEEE 802.11 radio hardware, especially in terms of carrier-sensing circuitry. We then present our results from our validation and initial measurement study, which demonstrate interactions between transmit power and rate under different carrier-sensing settings in a two link scenario. Our initial findings indicate there exists a limited number of ratepower combinations that achieve high performance in terms of either throughput and fairness both with and without carrier sensing. Furthermore, in the case of both strong and weak links exist in the network, turning carrier sensing off significantly improves performance.
This testbed practice paper presents our efforts to validate an analytical model for fluid flow behavior in wireless mesh networks with an experimental evaluation. We have developed a fluid model for multihop communication in wireless mesh networks and analyzed it with simulations. Now, we describe our efforts to reproduce the modeled and simulated network with an indoor WiFi mesh network and to measure flow parameters that allow us to verify that the underlying assumptions and the flow behavior can be matched in real networks. Our experiences emphasize the need to gap the bridge between simulations and experimental validation as well as the lack of tools to efficiently validate results. These findings are particularly true in wireless mesh networks where interference is beyond the control of the experiment and where nodes are distributed such that an easy coordination and monitoring of the nodes is not possible.
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