Opportunistic web access via WLAN hotspots

Abstract

Abstract-Mobile phones are becoming commonplace for consuming Internet content and services. However, availability, affordability, and quality of the supposedly ubiquitous cellular network infrastructure may be limited, so that delay-tolerant web access via WLAN hotspots becomes an interesting alternative, even in urban areas. In this paper we explore mobile web access using asynchronous messaging via WLAN hotspots: for nodes directly connected to an access point and nodes relying on others for message forwarding. We investigate different routing and caching approaches using real-world access point locations in Helsinki. We find that a significant number of requests can be satisfied without requiring an always-on infrastructure, provided that users are willing to tolerate some response delay; this allows offloading traffic from the cellular network. We also report on our prototype implementation of mobile DTN-based web browsing.

Mobile Data Offloading through Opportunistic Communications and Social Participation

“…In the original delay-tolerant approach, delay is usually caused by intermittent connectivity [19]. For instance, motivated by the fact that the coverage of WLAN hotspots may be very limited, and thus mobile users may not always be able to connect to the Internet through them, Pitkänen et al [40] explore opportunistic web access via WLAN hotspots for mobile phone users. We propose to intentionally delay the delivery of information over cellular networks and offload it through the free opportunistic communications, with the goal of reducing mobile data traffic.…”

Mobility and service discovery in opportunistic networks

“…In HCS the access points are placed around the city [10] based on locations of existing hotspots provided by a community WiFi service. To evaluate the impact of pedestrian speed, we run all the simulations with slow walking speed drawing speed for each leg is from uniform distribution 0.5-1.5m/s, and fast walking speed 1.5-2.5m/s respectively.…”

“…These applications can rely purely on direct communication between devices [9] while also exploiting static infrastructure components, such as network access points, when available [10] [4]. The central idea in many of the proposed applications is to substitute a fixed routing infrastructure by an opportunistic message routing medium built on, for example, pervasive mobile devices.…”

A Picture of Present Ubicomp Research Exploring Publications from Important Events in the Field

“…Razafindralamboo et al (2010) presented a distributed algorithm for adaptive infrastructure deployment in two-tiered intermittent connected networks. And finally Pitkanen and Karkkainen (2010) explored mobile web access using asynchronous messaging via WLAN hotspots.…”