Multi-Radio Hybrid Wireless-Optical Broadband Access Networks

The Wireless-Optical Broadband-Access Network (WOBAN) architecture has been proposed as a flexible solution to meet the ever-demanding needs in access networks. At the wireless front-end multi-channel communication, with routers having multiple radio interfaces tuned to non-overlapping channels, can be used to improve network throughput in a cost-effective way. This paper addresses integrated routing and channel assignment in multi-radio WOBANs. The goal is to evaluate how equipping mesh routers with multiple radios can effectively alleviate the capacity problem in WOBANs. The optimal distribution of radios is also analyzed.