A Real-Time Performance Evaluation of Tightly Coupled LTE Wi-Fi Radio Access Networks

A tight coupling of LTE and Wi-Fi interfaces can be achieved by integrating them at the radio protocol stack. LTE and Wi-Fi radio level integration with IPSec tunnel (LWIP) is standardized by 3GPP in Rel-13 for tighter level of LTE-Wi-Fi interworking at IP layer. This tighter level of interworking replaces the traditional way of cellular-Wi-Fi interworking through a packet gateway and it can react to the dynamic changes in the wireless link quality. In this paper, we present a new variant of LWIP prototype that works with commercial UE (Nexus 5). The developed LWIP prototype uses OpenAirInterface (OAI) for LTE network and Cisco Access Point (AP) as Wi-Fi AP. We also present the design and implementation of LWIP prototype and interesting results for tight interworking of LTE and Wi-Fi at IP level. We have evaluated the LWIP performance with different Link Aggregation Strategies (LAS) using both UDP and TCP. We have observed that, in a highly loaded Wi-Fi channel, when LWIP employs Wi-Fi only in Downlink (WoD) LAS, then sum of individual TCP flow throughput has improved by 28% as compared to LWIP operating with Flow Split (FS) LAS. We have enumerated the challenges which has to be addressed in LWIP to reap the maximum benefits. A Real-Time Performance Evaluation of Tightly Coupled LTE Wi-Fi Radio Access Networks | Request PDF. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320416949_A_Real-Time_Performance_Evaluation_of_Tightly_Coupled_LTE_Wi-Fi_Radio_Access_Networks [accessed Jan 25 2018]

Millimeter-wave Wireless LAN and its Extension toward 5G Heterogeneous Networks

Millimeter-wave (mmw) frequency bands, especially 60 GHz unlicensed band, are considered as a promising solution for gigabit short range wireless communication systems. IEEE standard 802.11ad, also known as WiGig, is standardized for the usage of the 60 GHz unlicensed band for wireless local area networks (WLANs). By using this mmw WLAN, multi-Gbps rate can be achieved to support bandwidth-intensive multimedia applications. Exhaustive search along with beamforming (BF) is usually used to overcome 60 GHz channel propagation loss and accomplish data transmissions in such mmw WLANs. Because of its short range transmission with a high susceptibility to path blocking, multiple number of mmw access points (APs) should be used to fully cover a typical target environment for future high capacity multi-Gbps WLANs. Therefore, coordination among mmw APs is highly needed to overcome packet collisions resulting from un-coordinated exhaustive search BF and to increase the total capacity of mmw WLANs. In this paper, we firstly give the current status of mmw WLANs with our developed WiGig AP prototype. Then, we highlight the great need for coordinated transmissions among mmw APs as a key enabler for future high capacity mmw WLANs. Two different types of coordinated mmw WLAN architecture are introduced. One is the distributed antenna type architecture to realize centralized coordination, while the other is an autonomous coordination with the assistance of legacy Wi-Fi signaling. Moreover, two heterogeneous network (HetNet) architectures are also introduced to efficiently extend the coordinated mmw WLANs to be used for future 5th Generation (5G) cellular networks.Comment: 18 pages, 24 figures, accepted, invited paper

Architectural Challenges and Solutions for Collocated LWIP - A Network Layer Perspective

Achieving a tighter level of aggregation between LTE and Wi-Fi networks at the radio access network (a.k.a. LTE-Wi-Fi Aggregation or LWA) has become one of the most prominent solutions in the era of 5G to boost network capacit y and improve end user's quality of experience. LWA offers flexible resource scheduling decisions for steering user tr affic via LTE and Wi-Fi links. In this work, we propose a Collocated LTE/WLAN Radio Level Integration architecture at IP layer (C-LWIP), an enhancement over 3GPP non-collocated LWIP architecture. We have evaluated C-LWIP performance in vari ous link aggregation strategies (LASs). A C-LWIP node ( i.e. , the node having collocated, aggregated LTE eNodeB and Wi-Fi access point functionalities) is implemented in NS-3 which introd uces a traffic steering layer ( i.e. , Link Aggregation Layer) for efficient integration of LTE and Wi-Fi. Using extensive simulations, we verified the correctness of C-LWIP module in NS-3 and evaluat ed the aggregation benefits over standalone LTE and Wi-Fi netwo rks with respect to varying number of users and traffic types. We found that split bearer performs equivalently to switched b earer for UDP flows and switched bearer outperforms split bearer in the case of TCP flows. Also, we have enumerated the potential challenges to be addressed for unleashing C-LWIP capabilit ies. Our findings also include WoD-Link Aggregation Strategy whi ch is shown to improve system throughput by 50% as compared to Naive-LAS in a densely populated indoor stadium environmen t

Review of network integration techniques for mobile broadband services in next generation network

Next Generation Network (NGN) is intended at integrating the existing heterogeneous wireless access networks in order to produce a composite network that provides users with ubiquitous broadband experience. Currently, it has been established that Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, as a backbone network, provides broadband capacity with high efficiency, reduced latency and improved resource provisioning. Resource provisioning on this backbone network is not without its limitation as more mobile broadband services (MBBs) are evolving and users demand for mobility is on the increase. This paper, therefore, reviewed the different integration techniques for the heterogeneous networks that use LTE network as backbone that supports mobile broadband services.Keywords: MBB, NGN, LTE, SIP, Qo

THROUGHPUT IMPROVEMENT AND COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF INTEGRATED NETWORKS

The demand for high-speed communication continue to increase significantly. Industry forecasts have shown that future data services would contribute to rapid growth in data traffic, with most of this traffic primarily indoors and at hotspots locations. Thus, the deployment and integration of small cell base stations (SCBSs) with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or Wi-Fi is viewed as a critical solution to offload traffic, maximize coverage and boost future wireless systems capacity. This thesis reviews the existing network of WLAN, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). Tight and Loosely coupled integration of these networks is studied. More specifically, the introduction of small cell (SC) in loosely coupled Wi-Fi /WiMAX and Wi-Fi/LTE are proposed. These designs are tested in real-time user experience applications consisting of video conferencing, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and email using industrial simulation software, Riverbed Modeler 18.7. Quality of service parameters was used to analyze these networks. It was found that the throughput of loosely coupled Wi-Fi/WiMAX network can be optimized by small cell. The loosely coupled architecture of Wi-Fi/WiMAX small cell outperforms that of Wi-Fi/LTE small cell. The loosely coupled independently deployed network of Wi-Fi/LTE small cell performs better than the Wi-Fi network. The Wi-Fi/LTE small cell network achieved a substantial rise in downlink throughput in a network consisting of only video conferencing subscriber station

Energy-efficient vertical handover parameters, classification and solutions over wireless heterogeneous networks: a comprehensive survey

In the last few decades, the popularity of wireless networks has been growing dramatically for both home and business networking. Nowadays, smart mobile devices equipped with various wireless networking interfaces are used to access the Internet, communicate, socialize and handle short or long-term businesses. As these devices rely on their limited batteries, energy-efficiency has become one of the major issues in both academia and industry. Due to terminal mobility, the variety of radio access technologies and the necessity of connecting to the Internet anytime and anywhere, energy-efficient handover process within the wireless heterogeneous networks has sparked remarkable attention in recent years. In this context, this paper first addresses the impact of specific information (local, network-assisted, QoS-related, user preferences, etc.) received remotely or locally on the energy efficiency as well as the impact of vertical handover phases, and methods. It presents energy-centric state-of-the-art vertical handover approaches and their impact on energy efficiency. The paper also discusses the recommendations on possible energy gains at different stages of the vertical handover process

Energy-efficient vertical handover parameters, classification and solutions over wireless heterogeneous networks: a comprehensive survey

In the last few decades, the popularity of wireless networks has been growing dramatically for both home and business networking. Nowadays, smart mobile devices equipped with various wireless networking interfaces are used to access the Internet, communicate, socialize and handle short or long-term businesses. As these devices rely on their limited batteries, energy-efficiency has become one of the major issues in both academia and industry. Due to terminal mobility, the variety of radio access technologies and the necessity of connecting to the Internet anytime and anywhere, energy-efficient handover process within the wireless heterogeneous networks has sparked remarkable attention in recent years. In this context, this paper first addresses the impact of specific information (local, network-assisted, QoS-related, user preferences, etc.) received remotely or locally on the energy efficiency as well as the impact of vertical handover phases, and methods. It presents energy-centric state-of-the-art vertical handover approaches and their impact on energy efficiency. The paper also discusses the recommendations on possible energy gains at different stages of the vertical handover process

Comparison of vertical handover decision-based techniques in heterogeneous networks

Industry leaders are currently setting out standards for 5G Networks projected for 2020 or even sooner. Future generation networks will be heterogeneous in nature because no single network type is capable of optimally meeting all the rapid changes in customer demands. Heterogeneous networks are typically characterized by some network architecture, base stations of varying transmission power, transmission solutions and the deployment of a mix of technologies (multiple radio access technologies). In heterogeneous networks, the processes involved when a mobile node successfully switches from one radio access technology to the other for the purpose of quality of service continuity is termed vertical handover or vertical handoff. Active calls that get dropped, or cases where there is discontinuity of service experienced by mobile users can be attributed to the phenomenon of delayed handover or an outright case of an unsuccessful handover procedure. This dissertation analyses the performance of a fuzzy-based VHO algorithm scheme in a Wi-Fi, WiMAX, UMTS and LTE integrated network using the OMNeT++ discrete event simulator. The loose coupling type network architecture is adopted and results of the simulation are analysed and compared for the two major categories of handover basis; multiple and single criteria based handover methods. The key performance indices from the simulations showed better overall throughput, better call dropped rate and shorter handover time duration for the multiple criteria based decision method compared to the single criteria based technique. This work also touches on current trends, challenges in area of seamless handover and initiatives for future Networks (Next Generation Heterogeneous Networks)