Optimization Based WLAN Modeling and Design: CCSIT-SUST – A Case Study of CCSIT - SUST

Abstract

This research describes promising strategies and optimization models effectively used to design wireless local area networks (WLANs). There are two basic strategies that have been adopted by industry experts : 1) site surveys and 2) the use of software tools. In literature, site surveys attracted much attention. With site surveys design strategy, radio frequency (RF) signal strength data are sampled at various locations within a site. Measurements are used to determine transmitter locations that ensure site wide coverage. Despite its popularity in research, site surveys have several important limitations: 1) may not produce a good capacity-oriented design. That is, capacity measurements are not part of a site survey, which only conforms which areas have coverage, 2) can only test a fixed set of potential locations, 3) it found to be fairly expensive and time consuming. This research describes approaches that belong to the second design strategy, which relies on using special purpose software tools. These tools most often attempt to solve an underlying optimization problem maximizing either coverage or capacity. Some coverage models are simple and can be solved with existing commercial optimization software. Solution procedures for sophisticated capacity models with integer variables and nonlinear constraints are not solvable using current commercial optimization software Therefore, many industrial and academic research groups rely upon meta-heuristics for problem solution. Results indicate that our models is able to solve WLAN design problem to determine number , location , the frequency to be assigned to each AP, and the signal power of each AP in design area The study adopted the empirical test using Cisco packet tracer for simulation WLAN and for the time knowledge between transmission and reply.