Estimation of Packet Loss on MAC Layer in IEEE 802.11 Wireless Local Area Networks

In wireless local area networks, management decisions concerning channel selection, rate selection, and power management have a profound impact on the throughput performance, particularly in dense areas. These measurements, however, are too weakly associated with the MAC layer to be able to make such management decisions. Therefore, direct measurements of the channel quality at the MAC layer are necessary to facilitate appropriate decision-making activities. Estimating quantities, such as the probability of collision and the probability of channel-induced errors, will enable the MAC layer to make suitable decisions1. This paper proposes a mechanism to calculate both the channel error probability and collision probability through the methodology of distribution. Some scenarios are discussed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the measurements. Keyword: MAC Layer, IEEE 802.11, WLAN, Estimation