Cross-layer scheduling algorithm for WLAN throughput improvement

Abstract

Throughput improvement is critical in wireless communication networks, since the wireless channel is often shared by a number of nodes in the same neighborhood. With cross-layer design, bandwidth can be shared more efficiently by competing flows in proportion to their channel conditions. In this paper, we propose a cross-layer design for throughput improvement in IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (WLANs). Our protocol is derived from the Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) in the IEEE medium access control (MAC) protocol. Simulation results show that the proposed method achieves the improved throughput compared with IEEE 802.11. An important feature of the proposed method is its backward compatibility, which allows the proposed method can work with legacy IEEE 802.11 nodes. © Springer-Verlag 2006.