Simple yet efficient, transparent airtime allocation for TCP in wireless mesh networks

In this paper, we explore a simple yet effective technique for explicitly allocating airtime to each active pair of communicating neighbors in a wireless neighborhood so that TCP starvation in a wireless mesh network is avoided. Our explicit allocation is efficient, redistributing unused airtime and also accounting for airtime rendered unusable by external interference. Our technique requires no modifications to TCP/IP and the 802.11 MAC, and is responsive to short flows, MAClayer auto rate adaptation, and other dynamics, as we demonstrate in extensive experiments on two indoor testbeds. Despite its simplicity, the technique is on average within 12% of the max-min optimal allocation on several topologies.

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: CONEXT
• Authors: Ki-Young Jang, Konstantinos Psounis, Ramesh Govindan
• Keywords: Airtime, Computer Networks, CONEXT 2010, Max-min Optimal Allocation, Wireless Mesh Network