A novel cross layer TCP optimization protocol over wireless networks by Markov Decision Process

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is well-known for its poor performance over wireless networks. The main reason is the unstable condition of wireless networks. Previous attempts to improve TCP performance have been centered on techniques such as queue management, congestion window adjustment, delayed acknowledgement, and etc., because lower layers are hidden in the layered Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. With cross layer techniques, more precise data can be retrieved from lower layers for network condition estimation. In this paper, we analyze and model the factors that affect the TCP throughput in the lower layers. Consequently, to solve the TCP optimization problem, we formulate TCP performance as a Markov Decision Process (MDP). An extensive set of simulation experiments has been performed on NS-2 in order to illustrate that TCP performance can be enhanced by cooperatively adjusting lower layer factors.