Optimal channel selection for tri-band Wi-Fi in a residential scenario

• Main Author: Oliveira, Rafael Martinho Fernandes
• Publication Date: 2023
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/41965
• topic: Easymesh; IEEE 802.11; IEEE 802.11ax; Optimization; Tri-band; Wi-Fi; Wi-Fi 6; Wi-Fi 6e; WLAN; Wireless mesh network

The widespread adoption of Internet of Things devices and the increasing demand for high-speed, reliable, and secure wireless connectivity pose significant challenges for existing wireless networking solutions in modern smart homes. As such, there is an increasing urgency for the development of advanced and effective wireless technologies that can fulfill the ever-growing requirement for interconnected devices and services deployed in households. In this context, the use of Wi-Fi 6E offers several compelling advantages, over previous generations of Wi-Fi, critical for ensuring a seamless and efficient wireless experience for end users. Furthermore, the deployment of mesh networks by means of tri-band Wi-Fi 6E equipment, as opposed to traditional Wi-Fi setups, holds the potential to significantly improve wireless coverage, minimize network downtime, and achieve scalable network growth, coupled with an expanded spectrum access, leveraging the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz frequency bands. However, mismanagement of the different bands can be detrimental to the network’s health, leading to higher interference levels and bottlenecks. In fact, the static method of locking devices to a specific band still remains as the most adopted setup deployed in domestic networks. This dissertation provides a dynamic Wi-Fi link orchestration solution that, by gathering relevant metrics from the Wi-Fi devices, determines the optimal layout for the network and assigns the correct channel for each link, ensuring that a balance is struck between minimizing the interference and maximizing the link capacity. This is done through a proposed model that relies on heuristics to guide the decision making of the algorithm. To facilitate the metrics collection and client steering process, the EasyMesh specification is employed in the network, providing an easy setup, management and scalability of multiple wireless Access Points. Finally, the created model is put into action by deploying it into a real domestic network in a star and daisy chain configuration. In light of the testbed outcomes, it is evident that connections degrade with increased channel sharing and the presence of more obstacles between devices. Additionally, keeping channels in the backhaul connections minimally occupied, even at the expense of fronthaul links, enables the backhaul to support higher traffic volumes and lower delays for multiple fronthaul clients. The results show that the algorithm implementing the model was capable of altering the network topology to improve the overall capacity, adapting the link channels to the existing traffic flowing through the network.