Performance evaluation of a WLAN radio subsystem based on the RAKE receiver using measured channel delay profiles

This paper analyses the performance of a DS-SS WLAN in operation. The working condition is simulated by using measured channel delay profiles. The aim of the paper is to investigate the effectiveness of the RAKE processing in a challenging environment such as the indoor one, in particular when propagation is NLOS or when it is LOS but in the presence of a strong multipath phenomenon. The channel estimation is performed by a LSSE algorithm whose computational cost is kept low by the use of a proper spreading sequence. The results obtained show that the adoption of RAKE processing is necessary in a difficult environment.