Asymptotics for Provisioning Problems of Peering Wireless LANs with a Large Number of Participants
Costas Courcoubetis, Richard Weber · 2004
Abstract. We consider a model in which wireless LANs are to be provided in a number of locations. The owners of these WLANs have decided to peer with one another so that they can roam in locations other than their own. We consider the question of designing a mechanism for determining the quantities of resources that agents should provide so that the qualities of service are achieved in the locations and a measure of expected welfare is maximized, subject to the constraints that this mechanism is incentive compatible, rational and feasible (in senses to be described). We show that as the number of participant becomes large the solution to a limiting problem takes a simple form. Namely, it is near optimal to demand that each participant in the same location makes a predetermined and equal contri-bution to the system, this being comprised of a contribution of resources (such as coverage area or the number of roaming peers he accepts), plus, possibly, a monetary transfer. A participant is permitted to use the WLANs in other locations when roaming if and only if he is willing to make this contribution. The advantage of this is that the provisioning policy and contribution requirements can be easily communicated to the participants. 1 Peer to peer networks of wireless LANs