An Investigation of the Impact of Signal Strength on Wi-Fi Link ...
An Investigation of the Impact of Signal Strength on Wi-Fi Link ...
An Investigation of the Impact of Signal Strength on Wi-Fi Link ...
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<strong>Fi</strong>gure 2.9: IEEE 802.11 MAC architecture [13].<br />
DCF is a default medium access c<strong>on</strong>trol mechanism <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> IEEE 802.11, as known as<br />
CSMA/CA. DCF is implemented within wireless stati<strong>on</strong>s and APs. Thus, DCF supports<br />
both Ad-hoc mode and infrastructure mode. Fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rmore, in order to reduce collisi<strong>on</strong>, a<br />
random back-<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f time is used to resolve c<strong>on</strong>flict during media c<strong>on</strong>tenti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
On <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r hand, PCF is an opti<strong>on</strong>al feature which incorporates with DCF to provide a<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tenti<strong>on</strong>-free service. PCF requires point coordinators to ensure that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> medium can<br />
provide a c<strong>on</strong>tenti<strong>on</strong>-free service. Point coordinators <strong>on</strong>ly exist in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> AP, so PCF is<br />
available in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> infrastructure mode.<br />
When PCF is enabled, time <strong>on</strong> medium is separated into two periods: c<strong>on</strong>tenti<strong>on</strong>-free<br />
period (CFP) and c<strong>on</strong>tenti<strong>on</strong> period. CFP is c<strong>on</strong>trolled by PCF and c<strong>on</strong>tenti<strong>on</strong> period is<br />
handled by DCF. <str<strong>on</strong>g>An</str<strong>on</strong>g> AP delivers a “beac<strong>on</strong> frame” at <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> beginning <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> CFP. In order to<br />
prevent DCF-based service to access medium, “beac<strong>on</strong> frame” is to lock out wireless<br />
medium by setting <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> maximum durati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> CFP in all wireless stati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
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