Link adaptation with combined optimal frame size and rate selection in error-prone 802.11n networks

In error-prone channel with low SNRs, the network throughput may drop significantly if the packet length becomes too large. On the other hand, too much protocol overhead will be introduced if the packet length is too small. In this paper, we study this tradeoff and propose an adaptive frame size algorithm for A-MPDU in 802.11n networks, which can maximize the throughput by selecting the optimized frame length under different channel conditions. When used together with rate selection, the network throughput can be further improved. Both analytical model and simulation results are presented, demonstrating that our algorithm outperforms the fixed length transmission scheme in 802.11n networks under poor channel conditions.