Enhancing Channel Utilization in Mesh Networks

In this work, we focus on a WLANs Mesh, i.e., an ad hoc, IEEE 802.11-based network whose nodes are either user devices or Access Points providing access to the mesh network or to the Internet. By relying on some work done within the IEEE 802.11s TG, we consider that the network nodes can use one control channel and one or more data channels, each on separate frequencies. Then, we identify some problems related to channel access and we propose a MAC scheme that specifically addresses (i) the problem of hidden terminals and (ii) the problem of coexisting control and data traffic on different frequency channels. Through simulation, we show that our solution achieves high throughput both in regular and in very fragmented mesh topologies when compared to the standard 802.11 solution.