Scanning Delays in 802.11 Networks

The proliferation of Wireless LANs and the increasing integration of voice into data networks has created the potential for VoWLANs (Voice over Wireless Local Area Networks). This technology has immense cost saving potential and the ability to provide better service and functionality. However, before the integration of VoWLAN is possible, handoff delays must be reduced. Currently, the connectivity transition that occurs from moving between APs (Access Points) is too long, causing poor voice quality and call dropouts. An experimental approach is used to investigate a particular handoff delay known as the scanning delay. The study concludes that the primary source of delay in the scanning process is caused by overlapping channels in the 2.4GHz band.