Scheduling Multiple Partially Overlapped Channels in Wireless Mesh Networks

In this paper, we explore the use of partially overlapped channels in wireless mesh networks that consist of multiple 802.11-based access points. We propose novel channel allocation and link scheduling algorithms in the MAC layer to enhance network performance. Due to different traffic characteristics in multi-hop WMNs compared to those in one-hop 802.11 networks, we perform our optimization based on end-to-end flow requirement, instead of the sum of link capacity. In addition, we discuss other factors affecting the performance of POC, including topology, node density, and distribution.