Optimization Models for Routing and Frequency Assignment in Wireless Mesh Networks

Starting with the first mobile networks developed, the frequency channel assignment has become a significant problem due to the limited number of licensed frequencies and cost-related concerns. The minimization of the number of frequencies assigned has become the main objective of the frequency channel assignment problems, and today this problem is applicable and relevant for wireless networks as well. In this study, we focus on routing and frequency assignment models for wireless mesh networks and propose an integrated approach that combines these two aspects of frequency assignment problems. We modify our approach with respect to different interference models such as protocol-based or SIR-based interference. The integrated model is run for different sizes of randomly generated networks, and the results are compared with the sequential approach proposed in the literature. The impact of the size of the network and the interference model on the number of frequencies assigned are investigated.