Framework for characterizing hardware deployed in Wireless Mesh Networking Testbeds

Experimental systems introduce a variable in the analyzed system which is not present in theoretical ones, i.e. real equipment from different vendors. Given a certain standard, different vendors might take different design choices depending on the target equipment being devised. As a consequence, though this equipment fulfills the same functionality, it shows different behavior in equivalent scenarios due to parameters such as power constraints, degree of standard compliance, or CPU processing power. In this paper, we identify and explain the implications that these parameters have on the performance of wireless equipment, with particular emphasis on building a wireless mesh networking testbed. Moreover, this paper outlines techniques and recommended practices to use when selecting equipment in order to assess its behavior. It presents also practical quantitative results illustrating the type of results obtained and the validity of the techniques and procedures proposed.