An Access Point Selection Algorithm for Heterogeneous Stations

In wireless LAN technology, access point selection at each station is a critical problem in order to obtain satisfactory throughputs. The current protocol for access point selection is based on received signal strength, and a concentration of stations causes a degradation of the entire wireless network. To avoid the problem, various algorithms have been proposed. In the paper, the authors first verify performances of known access point selection algorithms in the wireless LAN environment such that there are two types of stations communicating with TCP and UDP. Next, they propose an access point selection algorithm with QoS control for the heterogeneous wireless LAN environment. In the algorithm, each station uses different algorithms according to types of communication protocols.