IEEE 802.

11 analysis using OPNET

Authors: Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros Madrona; Olivia Peraita Ezcurra Mentor: Lus Mengual Galn

Abstract
The objective is to study the protocol IEEE 802.11 for Wireless LAN and see how the performance is affected by changes in the configuration. We will vary different aspects from the standard configuration of the physical characteristics, like the Slot Time, the SIFS (Short Inter-frame Space), the Minimum and Maximum Contention Windows and the Fragmentation Threshold. In order to make this easier, we have modified the standard process models wlan_dispatch, wlan_mac and wlan_mac_hcf, and the node models wlan_ethernet_router_adv and wlan_wkstn_adv.

1.

Process Model

We have modified the standard wlan_mac and wlan_mac_hcf process models, naming them Mod_wlan_mac and Mod_wlan_mac_hcf. Instead of assigning values for the Slot Time, the SIFS Time and the Minimum and Maximum Contention Window in depending on the selected Physical Characteristics, they will be assigned from a variable selected in a higher layer.

We included the new variable attributes in the process model wlan_dispatch, naming it Mod_wlan_dispatch.

We also updates the child process models used by Mod_wlan_dispatch. 2

2.

Node Model

ROUTER

We have modified the standard wlan_ethernet_router_adv node model, naming it Mod_wlan_ethernet_router_adv. Instead of using the default wlan_dispatch process model for the wireless_lan_mac processor, it implements our new Mod_wlan_dispatch. It also promotes all the Wireless LAN Parameters, so they can be configured in a higher layer.

WORKSTATION

We have modified the standard wlan_wkstn_adv node model, naming it Mod_wlan_wkstn_adv. Instead of using the default wlan_dispatch process model for the wireless_lan_mac processor, it implements our new Mod_wlan_dispatch. It also promotes all the Wireless LAN Parameters, so they can be configured in a higher layer.

3.

Project Model

This will be the scenario to be studied. There is a Server connected with an Ethernet cable 100BaseT with a Wireless router. The Server if configured with a FTP service. The Router uses the Mod_wlan_ethernet_router_adv node model. A Wireless Workstation will act as a FTP Client. The Workstation uses Mod_wlan_wkstn_adv node model.

We will configure the parameters from the Wireless LAN formed between the Router and the Workstation.

4.

Slot Time and SIFS

Our first set of scenarios is to compare how does the Slot Time an SIFS affect the Media Access Delay.
Parameters Physical characteristics Data Rate Slot Time SIFS Min Contention Window Max Contention Window SlotTimeAndSIFSComp1 Frequency Hopping 1 Mbps 50E-06 28E-06 15 1023 SlotTimeAndSIFSComp2 Frequency Hopping 1 Mbps 20E-06 10E-06 15 1023

We get the average media access delay in the client during both simulations. The results show that, with few stations, smaller Slot Time and SIFS values decrease the average media access delay.

5.

Min Contention Window

Our next set of scenarios is to compare how does the Minimum Contention Window affect the Media Access Delay.
Parameters Phy characteristics Data Rate Slot Time SIFS Min Contention Window Max Contention Window SlotTimeAndSIFSComp1 Frequency Hopping 1 Mbps 50E-05 28E-06 7 1023 SlotTimeAndSIFSComp2 Frequency Hopping 1 Mbps 50E-05 28E-06 63 1023

We get the average media access delay in the client during both simulations. The results show that, again with few stations, an smaller Minimum Contention Window get smaller delay in the access.