While there are countless books on wireless networks, few actually quantify the key performance-limiting factors of wireless local area networks (WLANs) and describe various methods for improving WLAN performance. Fulfilling these needs, Improving the Performance of Wireless LANs: A Practical Guide provides both theoretical background and empirical results for the optimum planning and deployment of high performance WLAN systems in different residential and commercial buildings.

Machine generated contents note: ch. 1 Introduction -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction and Benefits of WLANs -- WLAN Standards -- Motivation for WLAN Performance Study -- Methodology Adopted for WLAN Performance Study -- Contribution and Structure of This Book -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 2 Wireless Local Area Networks -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- WLAN Architecture -- WLAN versus Cellular Networks -- WLAN Performance-Limiting Factors -- IEEE 802.11 Physical Layer -- Automatic Rate Fallback -- Location-Dependent Effects -- Capture Effect -- Hidden and Exposed Station Problems -- IEEE 802.11 Medium Access Control Methods -- IEEE 802.11 DCF -- IEEE 802.11 PCF -- Shortcomings of 802.11 -- WLAN Performance Estimation Approaches -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 3 Radio Propagation Characteristics -- Contents note continued: Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Radio Propagation Mechanisms -- Radio Propagation Environment: A Review of Literature -- Signal Interference -- Multipath Propagation -- Attenuation -- Signal Quality: RSS, SNR, SIR, and BER -- Received Signal Strength -- Signal-to-Noise Ratio -- Signal-to-Interference Ratio -- Bit Error Rate -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 4 Wireless Medium Access Control Protocols -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Wireless MAC Protocols: A Review of the Literature -- Wireless MAC Protocol Classification -- Contention-Based versus Contention-Free MAC Protocol -- Representative MAC Protocols -- Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance Protocol -- Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance for Wireless Networks Protocol -- Centralized Packet Reservation Multiple Access (C-PRMA) Protocol -- Contents note continued: Floor Acquisition Multiple Access and Group Allocation Multiple Access with Packet Sensing (GAMA-PS) Protocols -- Simple Dynamic Protocol (SDP), Dynamic 802.11 and 802.11+ -- Priority Unavoidable Multiple Access (PUMA) Protocol -- TDMA-Based Randomly Addressed Polling (TRAP) Protocol -- Fast Collision Resolution (FCR) -- Interleaved Carrier Sense Multiple Access (ICSMA) Protocol -- Collision-Free MAC, Fair MAC, and 802.11 Distributed Foundation Wireless MAC (DFWMAC) -- Carrier Sense Multiple Access with ID Countdown (CSMA/IC) and Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Prevention (CSMA/CP) Protocols -- Concatenation and Piggybacking Mechanisms -- Collision Detection (CD) MAC Protocol -- New Backoff Algorithm -- MAC Protocol Performance Issues -- Design Issues for Wireless MAC Protocols -- Influence of Radio Propagation on MAC Protocol Design -- Effect of Network Performance on MAC Protocol Design -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Contents note continued: Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 5 Wireless Routing Protocols -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Properties of Routing Protocols -- Design Issues of Routing Protocols -- MANET Routing Approaches -- Optimized Link State Routing -- Dynamic Source Routing -- Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector -- Temporally Ordered Routing Algorithm -- Comparison of Routing Protocols -- Performance of Routing Protocols -- Performance Issues -- A Proposal for Improving MANET Routing Performance -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 6 Cross-Layer Design For WLANs -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Definition of CLD -- Motivation for CLD -- Various Approaches to CLD -- Strengths and Weaknesses of CLD Approaches -- CLD Optimization: A Review of the Literature -- Cross-Layer Design: A Survey and Taxonomy -- TCP Path Recovery Notification (TCP-PRN) -- Contents note continued: Best Video Quality Using CLD -- Rate Adaptation Solution -- Joint Quality and Rate Adaptation -- Opportunistic Cooperative MAC (DC-MAC) -- Weighted Fair Scheduling Adaptive Rate Control Framework -- Rate Optimization for Multicast Communications -- Rate Adaptation and Payload Length -- Cross-Layer Performance Evaluation Framework -- Rate-Proportional 802.11 Fairness -- Rayleigh Channel Predictability -- Joint PHY-MAC Layer Design -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 7 Effect of Radio Propagation Environments on WLAN Performance -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- The Environments Used -- Environment A: Duthie Whyte Building -- Environment B: AUT Tower -- Environment C: Suburban House -- Measurement Procedure and Resources Used -- Measurement Results -- Environment A -- Experiment 1: Effect of Tx-Rx Orientation -- Experiment 2: Effect of LOS Condition in the Basement -- Contents note continued: Experiment 3: Effect of Office Wall Partitions -- Experiment 4: Effect of LOS Blockage -- Experiment 5: Effect of Floors -- Experiment 6: Effect of Single-Wall Separation -- Experiment 7: Effect of Microwave Oven Interference -- Environment B -- Scenario 1: Ad Hoc Network -- Scenario 2: Infrastructure Network -- Environment C -- Performance Comparison of Environments A, B, and C -- Measurement Accuracy and Validation -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions (scenario based) -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 8 Performance of 802.11g in an Obstructed Office Space -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Propagation Study -- Measurement Environment and Procedure -- Measurement Results and Discussion -- Overall Observation and Discussion -- Measurement Accuracy and Validation -- Simulation Study -- Modeling the Network -- Simulation Results -- Simulation Accuracy and Model Verification -- System Implications -- Contents note continued: Further Reading -- Books -- Book Chapters -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 9 Improving WLAN Performance by Modifying MAC Protocols -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Previous Work on the Enhancement of 802.11 -- Description of the Proposed BUMA Protocol -- Optimization of Buffer Unit Length -- Strengths and Weaknesses -- Protocol Overhead and Throughput Analysis -- Discussion and Interpretation -- Performance Evaluation -- Simulation Environment and Parameters -- Modeling Assumptions -- Simulation Results and Comparison -- Throughput Performance -- Delay Performance -- MDT Fairness -- Packet Drop Ratio -- Simulation Model Verification -- Implementation -- Further Reading -- Books -- Book Chapters -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 10 Effect of AP Configuration and Placement on WLAN Performance -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Contents note continued: AP Configuration Methods -- Measurement Procedure and Resources Used -- Results and Discussion for AP Configuration -- Measurement Accuracy and Validation -- Implications for AP Configuration -- Experiment Details for AP Placement -- Results and Discussion for AP Placement -- Semi-LOS Conditions -- Non-LOS Conditions -- Simulation Study -- Implications for AP Placement -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 11 Effect of Routing Protocols on WLAN Performance -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Performance Study of MANET Routing Protocols -- Network Scenarios -- Modeling Assumptions -- Simulation Environment and Parameter Settings -- Modeling the Network -- Experiment's Results -- Impact of Network Size (Small, Medium, and Large) -- Scenario 1: Small-Sized Network (N = 10, NS = 5 m/s, PL = 1,000 bytes) -- Scenario 2: Medium-Sized Network (N = 50, NS = 5 m/s, PL = 1,000 bytes) -- Contents note continued: Scenario 3: Large-Sized Network (N = 100, NS = 5 m/s, PL = 1,000 bytes) -- Impact of Increasing Node Speed -- Scenario 4: Varying Node Speed in a Small-Sized Network (N = 10, NS = 20 and 30 m/s, PL = 1,000 bytes) -- Scenario 5: Varying Node Speed in a Medium-Sized Network (N = 50, NS = 20 and 30 m/s, PL = 1,000 bytes) -- Scenario 6: Varying Node Speed in a Large-Sized Network (N = 100, NS = 20 and 30 m/s, PL = 1,000 bytes) -- Impact of Increasing Traffic Load -- Scenario 7: Varying Traffic Load in a Small-Sized Network (N = 10, NS = 30 m/s, PL = 5,000 and 50,000 bytes) -- Scenario 8: Varying Traffic Load in a Medium-Sized Network (N = 50, NS = 30 m/s, PL = 5,000 and 50,000 bytes) -- Scenario 9: Varying Traffic Load in a Large-Sized Network (N = 100, NS = 30 m/s, PL = 5,000 and 50,000 bytes) -- Comparative Analysis -- Overall Observation and Interpretations -- Effect of Network Size -- Effect of Node Mobility -- Effect of Packet Length (Traffic Load) -- Contents note continued: Validation of Simulation Results -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 12 Improving WLAN Performance Using CLD Optimization -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Effect of Channel BER on WLAN Performance -- Relationship between BER and FER -- Implementation of BER in Ns-2.31 -- Performance Results -- Comparative Analysis -- Impact of BER on Network Throughput -- Impact of BER on Packet Delay -- Impact of BER on Network Fairness -- Impact of BER on Packet Drop Ratio -- Proposed PHY-MAC Layer Design Framework -- Cross-Layer Design Algorithms -- Benefits and Practical Implications of the Proposed CLD Method -- Performance Evaluation -- Simulation Results and Comparison -- Overall Observations and Interpretations -- Simulation Model Verification -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- Contents note continued: ch. 13 Effect of Traffic Distribution on WLAN Performance -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Traffic Generators and Arrival Processes -- Simulation Results and Comparative Analysis -- Effect of Packet Arrival Distributions on System Performance -- Comparative Analysis -- Impact of Traffic Arrival Distributions on Network Throughput -- Impact of Traffic Arrival Distributions on Network Mean Packet Delay -- Impact of Traffic Arrival Distributions on Network Fairness -- Impact of Traffic Arrival Distributions on Packet Drop Ratios -- Summary of Findings -- System Implications -- Simulation Model Verification -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 14 Combined Effect of Signal Strength and Traffic Type on WLAN Performance -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- Experiment's Details -- Methodology and Scenarios -- Experiment's Design -- Empirical Results -- Contents note continued: Scenario 1: Ad Hoc Network -- Scenario 2: Infrastructure Network without Contention -- Scenario 3: Infrastructure Network with Contention -- Summary of Measurement Results -- Measurement Accuracy and Validation -- Simulation Study -- Modeling the Network -- Simulation Results -- Performance of VoIP Traffic -- Performance of Video-Conferencing (Video) Traffic -- Effect of RSS on Network Performance -- Overall Observation and Interpretation -- Validation of Simulation Results -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 15 Implications for System Planning and Deployment -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- An Evolutionary Path for Adopting WLAN Technology -- Deployment of WLANs -- Single-Floor Office Scenario -- Deployment of Ad Hoc Networks -- Deployment of Infrastructure Networks -- Multifloor Office Scenario -- Computer Laboratory -- Residential House Environment -- Contents note continued: Summary of Findings -- Deploying High-Performance WLANs -- Joint PHY-MAC Layer Design -- Combined Effect of RSS and Traffic Type -- Recommendation for Future Development -- WLAN Performance Evaluation in the Presence of Hidden and Exposed Stations -- Performance Study of 802.11a Networks -- Rate Adaptation QoS-Aware MAC Protocol for Multimedia WLANs -- Cross-Layer Design with Adaptive Payload and Rate Adaptation for Multimedia WLANs -- Development of an Adapting Routing Protocol for WLANs -- Development of Antenna-Aware Propagation Models -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects -- ch. 16 Recent Developments In WLANs -- Learning Outcomes -- Introduction -- IEEE 802.11n: High-Performance Wi-Fi -- MIMO -- PHY Enhancement -- MAC Enhancement -- IEEE 802.11ac: Next-Generation Wi-Fi -- IEEE 802.11ad: Very High Throughput Wi-Fi -- IEEE 802.11u: Emergency QoS -- Contents note continued: IEEE 802.11p: Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication -- IEEE 802.11s: Wireless Mesh Networking -- IEEE 802.22 Cognitive Radio Network -- Green Networking -- 802.11i: Secure Wireless Network -- Further Reading -- Books -- Research Papers -- Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- Mini-Projects.