A new protocol and a new approach towards analysing the performance of medium access control protocols for wireless LANs

Abstract

This paper introduces a new protocol which is based on the standard RTS/CTS exchange with a spread-spectrum contention resolution phase and an unspread, high rate, data phase. The benefit of this asymmetric signalling is that stations defer only for a possible collision with data, not for one with other signalling packets. This strategy is expected to increase throughput on a data-per-area basis compared with conventional protocols such as HIPERLAN and 802.11. A new method of analysis is also presented which lends itself towards simulation as it facilitates the use of relative distances (or losses) which include a shadowing effect. Finally some preliminary results are presented.