TCP performance issues over wireless links

Author

Xylomenos, George ; Polyzos, George C. ; Mähönen, Petri ; Saaranen, Mika

Author_Institution

Athens Univ. of Econ. & Bus., Greece

Volume

39

Issue

4

fYear

2001

fDate

4/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

52

Lastpage

58

Abstract

This article discusses the problems arising when the TCP/IP protocol suite is used to provide Internet connectivity over existing and emerging wireless links. Due to the strong drive toward wireless Internet access through mobile terminals, these problems must be carefully studied in order to build improved systems. We review wireless link characteristics using wireless LANs and cellular communications systems as examples. We then outline the performance problems of the TCP/IP protocol suite when employed over those links, such as degraded TCP performance due to mistaking wireless errors for congestion. We present various proposals for solving these problems and examine their benefits and limitations. Finally, we consider the future evolution of wireless systems and the challenges that emerging systems will impose on the Internet protocol suite

Keywords

Internet; cellular radio; transport protocols; wireless LAN; Internet connectivity; Internet protocol suite; TCP performance; TCP/IP protocol; cellular communications systems; congestion; mobile terminals; wireless Internet access; wireless errors; wireless links; Access protocols; Degradation; Delay effects; Error analysis; Internet; Propagation delay; Satellites; TCPIP; Wireless LAN; Wireless application protocol;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Communications Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0163-6804

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/35.917504

Filename

917504