為了降低無線網路基地台後端之backhaul成本及解決Ad hoc網路涵蓋面積問題，無線網狀網路WMNs(Wireless Mesh Networks)因此應運而生。WMNs網路上的節點裝置與Ad hoc網路上的行動裝置對電量消耗及負載的需求是非常不同的，所以在Ad hoc網路上可使用之路由協定在WMNs網路上是無法直接適用的。 在Pure Ad hoc網路上考量Power之MMBCR(Min-Max Battery Cost Routing)及考量Loading之CSLAR(Contention Sensitive Load Aware Routing)等路由協定並沒有考量到WMNs網路上不同元件間的不同特性。有鑑於此，我們著重在Hybrid WMNs網路環境上，並提出了在Mesh Clients及Routers上同時考量Power及Loading的路徑演算法，我們稱之為POLAR。實驗結果顯示我們的路由協定能夠提昇整體的網路效能及延長網路存活時間。 / In order to reduce the backhaul cost and solve Ad hoc network coverage problem, WMNs (Wireless Mesh Networks) arise at the historic moment. The requirements on power efficiency and loading are much different between mesh nodes of WMNs and mobile hosts of ad hoc networks. The routing protocol used in Ad hoc networks would be not suitable in WMN networks. The power-aware routing in MMBCR (Min-Max Battery Cost Routing) and load-aware routing in CSLAR (Contention Sensitive Load Aware Routing) used in pure Ad hoc networks don‘t consider the different characteristics of the components in WMNs. In view of this, we focus on the Hybrid WMNs environment, and propose a combined POwer-Aware with Load-Aware Routing algorithm (Called POLAR) along mesh clients and routers. The experimental results show that our routing protocol can enhance the network efficiency and lengthen the network live time.

Les réseaux maillés sans fil (RMSF), grâce à leurs caractéristiques avantageuses, sont considérés comme une solution efficace pour le support des services de voix, vidéo et de données dans les réseaux de prochaine génération. Le standard IEEE 802.16-d a spécifié pour les RMSF, à travers son mode maillé, deux mécanismes de planifications de transmission de données; à savoir la planification centralisée et la planification distribuée. Dans ce travail, on a évalué le support de la qualité de service (QdS) du standard en se focalisant sur la planification distribuée. Les problèmes du système dans le support du trafic de voix ont été identifiés. Pour résoudre ces problèmes, on a proposé un protocole pour le support de VoIP (AVSP) en tant qu’extension au standard original pour permettre le support de QdS au VoIP. Nos résultats préliminaires de simulation montrent qu’AVSP offre une bonne amélioration au support de VoIP. / Wireless mesh networks (WMNs), because of their advantageous characteristics, are considered as an effective solution to support voice services, video and data in next generation networks. The IEEE 802.16-d specified for WMNs, through its mesh mode, two mechanisms of scheduling data transmissions; namely centralized scheduling and distributed scheduling. In this work, we evaluated the support of the quality of service (QoS) of the standard by focusing on distributed scheduling. System problems in the support of voice traffic have been identified. To solve these problems, we proposed a protocol for supporting VoIP, called Assisted VoIP Scheduling Protocol (AVSP), as an extension to the original standard to support high QoS to VoIP. Our preliminary simulation results show that AVSP provides a good improvement to support VoIP.

In this study, the effect of implementing Network Coding on the aggregated throughput in Wireless Mesh Networks, was examined. Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are multiple hop wireless networks, where routing through any node is possible. The implication of this characteristic, is that messages flow across the points where it would have been terminated in conventional wireless networks. User nodes in conventional wireless networks only transmit and receive messages from an Access Point (AP), and discard any messages not intended for them. The result is an increase in the volume of network traffic through the links of WMNs. Additionally, the dense collection of multiple RF signals propagating through a shared wireless medium, contributes to the situation where the links become saturated at levels below their capacity. The need exists to examine methods that will improve the utilisation of the shared wireless medium in WMNs. Network Coding is a coding and decoding technique at the network level of the OSI stack, aimed to improve the boundaries of saturated links. The technique implies that the bandwidth is simultaneously shared amongst separate message flows, by combining these flows at common intermediate nodes. The number of transmissions needed to convey information through the network, is decreased by Network Coding. The result is in an improvement of the aggregated throughput. The research approach followed in this dissertation, includes the development of a model that investigates the aggregated throughput performance of WMNs. The scenario of the model, followed a typical example of indoors WMN implementations. Therefore, the physical environment representation of the network elements, included an indoors log–distance path loss channel model, to account for the different effects such as: power absorption through walls; and shadowing. Network functionality in the model was represented through a network flow programming problem. The problem was concerned with determining the optimal amount of flow represented through the links of the WMN, subject to constraints pertaining to the link capacities and mass balance at each node. The functional requirements of the model stated that multiple concurrent sessions were to be represented. This condition implied that the network flow problem had to be a multi–commodity network flow problem. Additionally, the model requirements stated that each session of flow should remain on a single path. This condition implied that the network flow problem had to be an integer programming problem. Therefore, the network flow programming problem of the model was considered mathematically equivalent to a multi–commodity integer programming problem. The complexity of multi–commodity integer programming problems is NP–hard. A heuristic solving method, Simulated Annealing, was implemented to solve the goal function represented by the network flow programming problem of the model. The findings from this research provide evidence that the implementation of Network Coding in WMNs, nearly doubles the level of the calculated aggregated throughput values. The magnitude of this throughput increase, can be further improved by additional manipulation of the network traffic dispersion. This is achieved by utilising link–state methods, rather than distance vector methods, to establish paths for the sessions of flow, present in the WMNs. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Computer and Electronical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

In this study, the effect of implementing Network Coding on the aggregated throughput in Wireless Mesh Networks, was examined. Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are multiple hop wireless networks, where routing through any node is possible. The implication of this characteristic, is that messages flow across the points where it would have been terminated in conventional wireless networks. User nodes in conventional wireless networks only transmit and receive messages from an Access Point (AP), and discard any messages not intended for them. The result is an increase in the volume of network traffic through the links of WMNs. Additionally, the dense collection of multiple RF signals propagating through a shared wireless medium, contributes to the situation where the links become saturated at levels below their capacity. The need exists to examine methods that will improve the utilisation of the shared wireless medium in WMNs. Network Coding is a coding and decoding technique at the network level of the OSI stack, aimed to improve the boundaries of saturated links. The technique implies that the bandwidth is simultaneously shared amongst separate message flows, by combining these flows at common intermediate nodes. The number of transmissions needed to convey information through the network, is decreased by Network Coding. The result is in an improvement of the aggregated throughput. The research approach followed in this dissertation, includes the development of a model that investigates the aggregated throughput performance of WMNs. The scenario of the model, followed a typical example of indoors WMN implementations. Therefore, the physical environment representation of the network elements, included an indoors log–distance path loss channel model, to account for the different effects such as: power absorption through walls; and shadowing. Network functionality in the model was represented through a network flow programming problem. The problem was concerned with determining the optimal amount of flow represented through the links of the WMN, subject to constraints pertaining to the link capacities and mass balance at each node. The functional requirements of the model stated that multiple concurrent sessions were to be represented. This condition implied that the network flow problem had to be a multi–commodity network flow problem. Additionally, the model requirements stated that each session of flow should remain on a single path. This condition implied that the network flow problem had to be an integer programming problem. Therefore, the network flow programming problem of the model was considered mathematically equivalent to a multi–commodity integer programming problem. The complexity of multi–commodity integer programming problems is NP–hard. A heuristic solving method, Simulated Annealing, was implemented to solve the goal function represented by the network flow programming problem of the model. The findings from this research provide evidence that the implementation of Network Coding in WMNs, nearly doubles the level of the calculated aggregated throughput values. The magnitude of this throughput increase, can be further improved by additional manipulation of the network traffic dispersion. This is achieved by utilising link–state methods, rather than distance vector methods, to establish paths for the sessions of flow, present in the WMNs. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Computer and Electronical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-03-05T15:35:28Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Micael Oliveira Massula Carvalho de Mello - 2014.pdf: 489311 bytes, checksum: 15900b2c2d82201091cb1f73eeb459f4 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-03-06T10:37:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Micael Oliveira Massula Carvalho de Mello - 2014.pdf: 489311 bytes, checksum: 15900b2c2d82201091cb1f73eeb459f4 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-06T10:37:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Micael Oliveira Massula Carvalho de Mello - 2014.pdf: 489311 bytes, checksum: 15900b2c2d82201091cb1f73eeb459f4 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are infrastructures with autonomic properties, such as self-organization and self-recovery, which can be developed with widely available technologies and low cost solutions. Besides their current applications, such as community networks and broad-band Internet access, WMNs can offer contributions in the context of the Internet of Things and help to build robust infrastructures to smart energy networks, among other uses. However, WMNs usually have performance issues due to overload in certain parts of the network and interference in wireless links. In this context, it is important that solutions are used to promote load-balancing and to mitigate interference between wireless links. Research in this area shows that one of the most promising approaches are in the subject of the joint routing and channel assignment. However, most of the previous works depends on the knowledge of the network traffic and handle flows with low granularity. In this thesis, we handle the performance problem in WMNs, in particular those having multiple radios and multiple available channels, using a joint approach, but without the mentioned restrictions. Our proposal is a joint heuristic, whose main contribution is the routing, which pursues the compromise between load-balancing and the path length of the network flows. We have developed our proposal in the Network Simulator 3 (ns-3) and have compared it with other works in literature. We found that our heuristic provides throughput improvements in most of the analyzed scenarios, besides promote greater justice between the flows that compete for resources. / Redes em Malha Sem Fio - Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) são infraestruturas com propriedades autonômicas, como auto-organização e autorrecuperação, que podem ser implementadas com tecnologias amplamente disponíveis e de custo acessível. Além de suas aplicações atuais, como redes comunitárias e redes de acesso à Internet, as WMNs podem auxiliar na comunicação de Internet das Coisas e constituir infraestruturas robustas para redes inteligentes de energia, dentre outros usos. No entanto, WMNs geralmente apresentam questões relativas a desempenho devido a fatores como sobrecarga em determinadas partes da rede e interferências nos enlaces sem fio. Nesse contexto, é importante que sejam utilizadas soluções que promovam balanceamento de carga na rede e que minimizem as interferências entre os enlaces sem fio. A pesquisa nessa área tem mostrado que uma das abordagens mais promissoras consiste em tratar de maneira conjunta o roteamento e a atribuição de canais. Porém, a maior parte dos trabalhos dependem de conhecimento prévio do tráfego da rede e tratam fluxos com baixa granularidade. Nesta dissertação, tratamos o problema de desempenho em WMNs, em especial as que possuem múltiplos rádios e múltiplos canais disponíveis, utilizando uma abordagem conjunta, mas sem as restrições anteriores. Nossa proposta é uma heurística conjunta, cuja principal contribuição está no roteamento, o qual persegue um compromisso entre o balanceamento de carga e o comprimento dos caminhos seguidos pelos fluxos. Implementamos nossa proposta no Network Simulator 3 (ns-3) e a comparamos com outros trabalhos da literatura. Verificamos que nossa heurística apresenta ganhos de vazão na maior parte dos cenários avaliados, além de promover maior justiça entre os fluxos que concorrem pelos recursos.

In this thesis the possibilities of smart antenna systems in wireless mesh networks are examined. With respect to the individual smart antenna tradeoffs, a routing protocol (Modified HWMP, MHWMP) for IEEE 802.11s mesh networks is presented, that exploits the full range of benefits provided by smart antennas: MHWMP actively switches between the PHY-layer transmission/reception modes (multiplexing, beamforming and diversity) according to the wireless channel conditions. Spatial multiplexing and beamforming are used for unicast data transmissions, while antenna diversity is employed for efficient broadcasts. To adapt to the directional channel environment and to take full benefit of the PHY capabilities, a respective MAC scheme is employed. The presented protocol is tested in extensive simulation and the results are examined.

In this thesis the possibilities of smart antenna systems in wireless mesh networks are examined. With respect to the individual smart antenna tradeoffs, a routing protocol (Modified HWMP, MHWMP) for IEEE 802.11s mesh networks is presented, that exploits the full range of benefits provided by smart antennas: MHWMP actively switches between the PHY-layer transmission/reception modes (multiplexing, beamforming and diversity) according to the wireless channel conditions. Spatial multiplexing and beamforming are used for unicast data transmissions, while antenna diversity is employed for efficient broadcasts. To adapt to the directional channel environment and to take full benefit of the PHY capabilities, a respective MAC scheme is employed. The presented protocol is tested in extensive simulation and the results are examined.:1 Introduction 2 Wireless Mesh Networks 3 IEEE 802.11s 4 Smart Antenna Concepts 5 State of the Art: Wireless Mesh Networks with Smart Antennas 6 New Concepts 7 System Model 8 Results and Discussion 9 Conclusion and Future Work