Trace-Based Analysis of Wi-Fi Scanning Strategies

Constant access to the Internet on smartphones enables a plethora of mobile applications. Wireless networking technologies on today's smartphones include: 802.11, and cellular technologies, such as EDGE or EVDO, and recently 3G technologies. Accessing the Internet using Wi-Fi on smartphones requires careful management of the WLAN interface. The design of 802.11 MAC protocol makes scanning and idle operation of WLAN interfaces more expensive than cellular technologies in terms of power consumption, and energy is a primary resource on mobile phones.