Multiple channel multiple interface for WI-FI for ad hoc environment

• Main Author: Wong, Ming Shiunn.
• Other Authors: Lee Bu Sung
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Computer science and engineering::Computer systems organization::Computer-communication networks
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16886
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Wireless mesh network suffers significant throughput degradation along multiple hop path communications. This is caused by channel interferences, whereby nodes have to compete with each other over a single shared channel within its vicinity. In this report, we proposed multiple channels multiple interfaces (MCMI) to reduce this problem. The performance of MCMI depends on the node‟s ability to utilize additional channels efficiently. Channel assignment algorithms are proposed and they are: Random, i-Random, Round Robin, Round Robin+, and Shortest Path First. The objective of channel assignment algorithms is to minimize channel interference which causes performance degradation in multi-hop network. These algorithms are evaluated through extensive simulations. We investigated the effects of channel interference on a single channel single interface network, and discussed how channel assignments algorithms for MCMI model will be more beneficial than single channel single interface model. Through an extensive simulation study, we have shown that MCMI network improved aggregated throughput and shortens packet‟s end-to-end delay over single channel single interface network model by over 200% by using 4 channels 4 interfaces network model. However, dedicate one interface per channel for each node is costly and unfeasible. We focused on MCMI network, whereby the number of interfaces is less than the number of available channels. Among our proposed algorithms, Round Robin+ channel assignment algorithm provides the best throughput and packet end-to-end delay performance in a 6 channels 4 interfaces network. We further evaluated 6 channels 4 interface with equal number of channels and interfaces network models. The lack of dedicated interfaces had reduced overall network performance; however it was improved by increasing the number of available channels.