A Reconfigurable Test Platform to Experiment With Wireless Heterogeneous Networks in a Laboratory

A large number of wireless technologies and networks has been introduced in the telecommunication world during the last few years (e.g., GSM/GPRS, UMTS, HSPA, IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.16, IEEE 802.20, Bluetooth). Typically those networks coexist in the same area, creating a sort of wireless overlay network able to provide more services, more bandwidth and more coverage to users than networks based on a single technology. The main issue is that many protocols and applications (e.g., TCP, VoIP) are not specifically designed for such a variety of wireless protocols. As a consequence these protocols and applications require a deeper analysis in order to understand their behavior when running over those radio protocols and links.