End-to-End Bandwidth Reservation in IEEE 802.16 Mesh Networks

IEEE 802.16 mesh does not include support for traffic flows with strict quality of service requirements. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end bandwidth reservation protocol (EBRP) in the backhaul of a wireless mesh network using IEEE 802.16 mesh. The distinctive feature of EBRP is that it is carried out at the medium access control (MAC) layer. Therefore, EBRP not only makes the resource reservation process extremely rapid, but it also allows the resources available to be allocated efficiently by exploiting technology-specific information available at the MAC. We present EBRP as part of a framework which also includes support for distributed call admission control (CAC). Preliminary simulation results obtained with VoIP traffic and nodes arranged in a grid topology are presented to show the effectiveness of EBRP under controlled channel conditions.