Cross-Layer Design of DiffServ Architecture for End-to-End QoS in IEEE 802.16 Multi-Hop Mesh/Relay Networks with IEEE 802.11e WLANs

Because of the high cost of construction and maintenance of infrastructure-based networks, researchers have concentrated their efforts on studying wireless mesh/relay networks with lower cost and high scalability. Due to the demand for real-time multimedia communication in heterogeneous networks, IEEE 802.16 multi-hop mesh/relay networks with IEEE 802.11e WLANs for QoS support can be an effective multi-hop network model instead of IEEE 802.11-based mesh networks without any QoS mechanism. In addition, to provide end-to-end QoS support for different QoS mechanisms of IEEE 802.lie, IEEE 802.16, and the Internet protocol, differentiated services architecture can be applied. Therefore, we propose a design of cross-layer DiffServ architecture in wireless multi-hop mesh/relay networks with WLANs for end-to-end QoS support. Simulations of the proposed QoS architecture using OPNET Modeler show an excellent end-to-end QoS guarantee in the multi-hop mesh/relay networks.