TCP Performance with Segment-in-Flight Estimation Algorithm over Wireless Links

TCP performs reasonably well over the Internet where packet losses are mainly due to network congestion. However, TCP suffers significant throughput degradation over hybrid wireless/IP networks where packet losses are also due to transmission errors in wireless segments and during mobile host handovers. In this paper, the micro-scale behavior and packet-level performance of four popular TCP variants over wireless links are assessed, and a heuristic Segment-in-Flight Estimation algorithm for TCP senders is proposed and evaluated. Extensive simulations confirm that the enhanced TCP is more robust against packet losses, can achieve better end-to-end performance, and still keeps the fairness and compatibility with ordinary TCP variants.