0000000000365267
AUTHOR
Violet R. Syrotiuk
Testbed implementation of the meta-MAC protocol
The meta-MAC protocol is a systematic and automatic method to dynamically combine any set of existing MAC protocols into a single higher layer MAC protocol. We present a proof-of-concept implementation of the meta-MAC protocol by utilizing a programmable wireless MAC processor (WMP) on top of a commodity wireless card in combination with a host-level software module. The implementation allows us to combine, with certain constraints, a number of protocols each represented as an extended finite state machine. To illustrate the combination principle, we combine protocols of the same type but with varying parameters in a wireless mesh network. Specifically, we combine TDMA protocols with all po…
Testbed evaluation of optimized REACT over multi-hop paths
REACT is a distributed resource allocation protocol that computes a max-min allocation of airtime for mesh networks. The allocation adapts automatically to changes in local traffic load and in local network views. SALT, a new contention window tuning algorithm, ensures that each node secures the airtime allocated to it by REACT. REACT and SALT are extended to the multi-hop flow scenario with the introduction of a new airtime reservation algorithm. With a reservation in place, multi-hop TCP flows show increased throughput when running over SALT and REACT compared to running over 802.11 DCF. All results are obtained from experimentation on the w-iLab.t wireless network testbed in Belgium.
Realizing airtime allocations in multi-hop Wi-Fi networks: A stability and convergence study with testbed evaluation
Abstract REACT is a distributed resource allocation protocol used to negotiate a max–min allocation of airtime for multi-hop ad hoc wireless networks. Two approaches are proposed for a node to realize its REACT allocation in a contention-based MAC protocol. This is achieved by tuning its contention window to a value that corresponds to its allocation. Only a change in the allocation, due to a change in local traffic requirements or local network views, results in re-tuning. The approaches for tuning are implemented in commercial Wi-Fi devices and their stability and convergence are studied experimentally in the w-iLab.t wireless network testbed. These properties are also studied analyticall…
Making WiFi work in multi-hop topologies: Automatic negotiation and allocation of airtime
We propose a solution for mitigating the performance impairments of CSMA/CA protocols in multi-hop topologies based on the dynamic adaptation of the contention process experienced by nodes in a wireless network. A distributed protocol is used to negotiate the channel airtime for a node as a function of the traffic requirements of its neighbourhood, taking into account bandwidth reserved for the control operations. A mechanism is provided for a node to tune its contention window depending on its allocated airtime. Different from previous schemes, a node's contention window is fixed in size unless the traffic requirements of its neighbourhood change. The scheme is implemented on legacy commer…
MAC learning
Cognition as a way to deal with the challenges of future wireless networks has been largely considered by the recent literature, with a main focus on physical layer adaptability and dynamic spectrum access. In this demo, we show how a simple cognition mechanism can be also applied at the MAC layer, by exploiting the emerging paradigm of programmable wireless cards. The idea is using the formal definition of simple MAC protocol components and platform-independent representation of channel events gathered from the wireless node, for emulating the behavior of protocols which are not currently running on the network, learning about their expected performance, and dynamically reconfiguring the w…