Load balancing for QoS optimisation in wireless LANs utilising advanced cell breathing techniques

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) have become increasingly popular over the last number of years. During this time, user requirements have evolved, resulting in a more diverse mix of services being carried over the wireless medium. In particular, delay sensitive real-time applications such as streaming multimedia and voice over IP are growing in importance. The widely accepted IEEE 802.11b standard, however, was not designed with sufficient quality of service (QoS) constraints for such applications. This paper attempts to optimise the received quality in 802.11b WLAN by balancing the load between various access points while changing the coverage area of each access point, a technique commonly known as cell breathing.