Performance monitoring of a wireless campus area network

In the relatively new field of wireless local area networks there exist three methods for performance evaluation: (1) mathematical analysis; (2) computer simulation; and (3) performance monitoring of a testbed. The data obtained from mathematical analysis and computer simulation are purely speculative, there is simply no way these methods can address all of the complexities associated with network protocols and indoor radio propagation. For this reason, the most useful performance data on wireless LAN hardware is that which is obtained directly from a fully functional working testbed. The National Science Foundation has provided funding for such a testbed that has been installed at the Center for Wireless Information Network Studies (CWINS) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. The authors present the data obtained from this testbed. Their findings show the feasibility and practicality of installing an indoor wireless local area network.