Mobility Management in IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networks

• Main Author: Svärd, Kristofer
• Format: Bachelor Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Technology; Computer communication; IEEE802.11; handoff; access points; beacons; mines; Teknik; Kiruna; Access Point
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-58402

This thesis proposes a new method to achieve fast handover between access points for a mobile client. The focus is on the situation in LKAB’s iron ore mine in Kiruna. In the mine an 802.11g wireless network is used to remotely control unmanned mobile loaders. Instead of using the standard implementation of the 802.11 handoff function the thesis presents a method where the distance from the mobile client to an access point is used to determine when the client should handoff to a new access point. The distance to an access point can be determined by letting the mobile client inspect the beacon messages that are sent out by all access points at regular intervals. In simulator tests this method was found to produce both faster handoff times as well as a more predictable handoff pattern in a situation that resembles the mine. Validerat; 20101217 (root)