Partially overlapping channel assignment for WLANs using SINR interference model

Abstract

The use of multiple channels in 802.11 wireless local area networks can improve network performance. Many efforts have been done to better exploit multiple non-overlapped channels. However, the number of orthogonal channels in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 standards is very much limited. Recent studies indicate that we can improve the full-range channel utilization and the network throughput by properly utilizing the partially overlapping channels. However, little work was focused on channel assignment for partially overlapping channels. In this paper, we investigate the problem of partially overlapping channel assignment to improve the performance of 802.11 wireless networks based on the Signal to Interference-Noise Ratio interference model. Using the Signal to Interference-Noise Ratio model, we deduce a direct relationship between maximizing system throughput and minimizing total interference when partially overlapping channels are employed. After that, we propose a greedy method to minimize the total interference for throughput maximization. We evaluate our algorithm through extensive simulations and compare its performances with those of the state-of-The-Art.