Centralized channel allocation algorithm for IEEE 802.11 networks

The sharing of the wireless spectrum is a major concern of network administrators. Access points in the same network interfere with each other, degrading the aggregate performance of stations. Moreover, wireless networks usually coexist with others applications that share the same spectrum and negatively impact the packet transmission. To overcome these issues, we propose the channel allocation algorithm designed for central controllers of infra-structured IEEE 802.11 networks. Our algorithm reduces the interference in controlled access points through the dynamic choice of their operating channels and, unlike other proposals, was designed to operate in a network composed of low cost devices from different brands, and open source software. Furthermore, we also consider the interference caused by unmanaged networks, adjusting the settings of the managed access points according to the wireless environment. The proposal was implemented and evaluated in an open testbed, and the results show that our controller efficiently manages the spectrum with low cost equipment and a low complexity algorithm.