Optimal contention-free multiplexing for wireless access

Abstract

The IEEE 802.11 (wi-fi) protocol was originally designed for devices with light load connecting to a wireless access point. With the success of 802.11, the density of Access Points has increased significantly. Now-a-days, each Access Point (AP) is associated with no more than a few mobile devices. New services like VOIP and streaming video have special service requirements. The popularity of these services has increased the load on the Access Points. Such features of these new applications require a more efficient Medium Access Control protocol (MAC). In this paper we develop an adaptive, distributed and contention free protocol that can meet the requirements of services that demand high data rates. The protocol statistically multiplexes opportunities for transmission for each node. The protocol is analyzed mathematically and optimized for performance. The simulation of wi-fi show that our approach is several times superior under heavy load conditions.