A lightweight algorithm for fast IEEE 802.11 handover

The efficient handover in the IEEE 802.11 networks is the key requirement for real-time multimedia support in such networks. The handover delay is significantly limited with the Fast Transition protocol introduced in 802.11r amendment. However, the whole handover process remains too disruptive for the real-time services. Network scanning is the most important handover delay factor. The article introduces a novel Neighbor List protocol that eliminates the requirement for channel probing by adding restrictions on network topology. In consequence the average handover delay can be reduced to a value below 50 milliseconds. The article presents and discusses simulation results of the proposed algorithm.