Abstract

With the rapid growth of the quantity and capabilities of end-user electronic devices, both stationary and mobile, they are employed in increasing number of applications. In this situation, wireless network technologies begin to play a crucial role as networks access technologies, as cable-based solutions tend to be of limited utility in case of easily portable or mobile devices. Resulting development of wireless technologies reached a stage, where each connecting client can extend its overall resources by becoming a network node capable of forwarding transit traffic. This ability allows a severe reduction of the necessary operator provided infrastructure, comparedto classic point-to-multipoint systems. It is also a significant step towards ubiquity of network access, as such wireless mesh systems tend to provide through coverage. One of the most promising wireless mesh solutions currently being developed is an IEEE 802.11s standard. However, despite its advantages, a number of areas lack sufficient support, which can lead to significant inefficiency and degradation of service quality in real-world IEEE 802.11s network deployments. In the paper we propose two extensions of IEEE 802.11s mechanisms, designed to provide better service quality in case of real-world deployment scenarios, especially in case of large systems. Both propositions introduce modifications to mesh path discovery and interworking procedures, while retaining compatibility with standard solution. Their basic functionality and efficiency have been verified by means of simulation model in self-organizing infrastructure and access system mesh deployment scenario. The results clearly indicate their utility, particularly in case of larger deployments of this type. The presented solutions are part of an ongoing research concerning cross-layer mechanisms for IEEE 802.11sbased systems, currently reaching testbed implementation stage.

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