A generic adaptation layer for differentiated services and improved performance in wireless networks

The paper focuses on the integration of Internet and wireless LANs (WLANs) and proposes a novel technique that supports seamless and efficient integration. This technique is based on a generic adaptation layer, referred to as wireless adaptation layer (WAL), which is introduced between the IP layer and the WLAN link layer. WAL is designed to: (i) cope dynamically with wireless channel impairments; (ii) provide QoS interworking between the IP infrastructure and the WLAN; (iii) be independent of the WLAN technology. These characteristics account for the advantages of WAL, namely, improved performance, wide applicability and provisioning of differentiated services.