Adaptive RTS threshold for maximum network throughput in IEEE 802.11 DCF
Shaohu Yan, Yongning Zhuo, Shiqi Wu, Guo Wei · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2004
The IEEE 802.11 medium access control (MAC) protocol provides shared access to wireless channel. Its primary MAC technique is called distributed coordination function (DCF) that includes two packet transmission schemes, namely, basic access and RTS/CTS access mechanisms. In a "hybrid" network combining the two schemes, packets with payload longer than a given threshold (RTS Threshold) are transmitted according to the RTS/CTS mechanism. Based on delicate mathematical model, the average time in a successful and unsuccessful transmission is analyzed in the assumption of idea channel. Then the relation of network saturation throughput and RTS threshold was found and expressed in theoretical formula. We present the numerical techniques to find out the optimum RTS threshold that can maximize the network capacity. An adaptive RTS threshold adjust algorithm (ARTA), with which a station can automatically adjust its RTS threshold to the current optimum value, is also presented in detail. A special procedure is also developed to help ARTA in determination of station numbers. All theoretical analysis and algorithm are validated through computer simulation.