A Stochastic Geometry Analysis of Dense IEEE 802.11 Networks

This paper presents a stochastic geometry model for the performance analysis and the planning of dense IEEE 802.11 networks. This model allows one to propose heuristic formulas for various properties of such networks like the probability for users to be covered, the probability for access points to be granted access to the channel or the average long term throughput provided to end-users. The main merit of this model is to take the effect of interferences and that of CSMA into account within this dense network context. This analytic model, which is based on Matern point processes, is partly validated against simulation. It is then used to assess various properties of such networks. We show for instance how the long term throughput obtained by end-users behaves when the access point density increases. We also briefly show how to use this model for the planning of managed networks and for the economic modeling of unplanned networks.