Fixed channel assignment algorithm for multi-radio multi-channel MESH networks

Recently, multi-radio mesh technology in wireless networks has been under extensive research. This is because of its potential of overcoming the inherent wireless multi-hop throughput, scalability and latency problems caused by the half-duplex nature of the IEEE 802.11. The concept of deploying multiple radios in wireless network access points (APs) has shown a promising way to enhance the channel selection and the route formation while the MESH topology allows more fine-grained interference management and topology control. Within this realm, given a set of end-to-end objectives, there are multiple issues that need to be identified when we consider the optimization problem for fixed multi-channel multi-hop wireless networks with multiple radios. This paper addresses the static channel assignment problem for multichannel multi-radio static wireless mesh networks. We first discuss its similarities and differences with the channel assignment problem in cellular networks (WMN). Next, we present four metrics based on which mesh channel assignments can be obtained. Three of these metrics attempt to maximize simultaneous transmissions in a mesh network, either directly or indirectly. The fourth metric quantifies the ‘diversity’ of a particular assignment and can be used as a secondary criterion to the other three metrics. Related optimization models have also been developed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.