Integration of 802.11 and third-generation wireless data networks

Abstract

Abstract-The third-generation (3G) wide area wireless networks and 802.11 local area wireless networks possess complementary characteristics. 3G networks promise to offer alwayson, ubiquitous connectivity with relatively low data rates. 802.11 offers much higher data rates, comparable to wired networks, but can cover only smaller areas, suitable for hot-spot applications in hotels and airports. The performance and flexibility of wireless data services would be dramatically improved if users could seamlessly roam across the two networks. In this paper, we address the problem of integration of these two classes of networks to offer such seamless connectivity. Specifically, we describe two possible integration approaches -namely tight integration and loose integration and advocate the latter as the preferred approach. Our realization of the loose integration approach consists of two components: a new network element called IOTA gateway deployed in 802.11 networks, and a new client software. The IOTA gateway is composed of several software modules, and with co-operation from the client software offers integrated 802.11/3G wireless data services that support seamless intertechnology mobility, Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees and multi-provider roaming agreements. We describe the design and implementation of the IOTA gateway and the client software in detail and present experimental performance results that validate our architectural approach.

Interworking of 3G cellular networks and wireless LANs

“…The lines with tags 'a' and 'b' are examples for tight coupling with different integration points. Typical tight-coupling architectures include the first architecture proposed in Salkintzis et al (2004) and Buddhikot et al (2003b).…”

“…The second architecture proposed in Salkintzis et al (2004) and Buddhikot et al (2003b), respectively, and the operator WLAN system in Ala-Laurila et al (2001) belong to this category. This type of architecture imposes minimal requirements to modify current WLAN standards, and allows for the flexibility and independence of implementing individually different mechanisms within each network.…”

“…In the tightly coupled interworking architecture, the WLANs are integrated as any other 3G radio access networks. As a result, the 3G mobility management mechanism can be reused to support mobility across WLANs and 3G networks (Buddhikot et al, 2003b;Salkintzis et al, 2002). The most popular network layer mobility protocol is Mobile IP (Perkins, 2002).…”

Performance evaluation framework for vertical handoff algorithms in heterogeneous networks

“…It is worth mentioning that a special WLAN gateway is required to integrate both networks services [3], [6]. This gateway performs several tasks including MIP agents, Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server, and dynamic stateful firewall service.…”

“…In the next section we present the results obtained from simulation and analysis for a hysteresis-based algorithm [3] and its modified versions ALIVE-HO and LIVE-HO [12].…”