A new method for multi-layer capacity measurements in communication networks

Measuring capacity of communication links is of utmost importance for both network planning and management. While there are several solutions to the problem of measuring capacity in wired networks, to the best of the authors´ knowledge, measuring capacity in wireless links is still an issue. The paper presents a new measurement method for multi-layer capacity estimation, which is based on the insertion of suitable software probes at sender´s and receiver´s side and overcomes the main limitations of alternative solutions. The results of experimental tests on real wireless networks are provided.