Bandwidth Cost Minimization via User Association for Enterprise WLANs

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Network Engineering
• Optimization Theory

Background:

• Enterprise Wireless LANs (E-WLANs) provide essential internet access in high-density environments like airports.
• Mobile users associate with nearby access points (APs) for service, leading to performance challenges.
• Existing research focuses on throughput maximization and load balancing for E-WLANs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address bandwidth cost minimization for E-WLAN operators.
• To develop a user association technique focused on operator cost from a unique perspective.
• To model and solve the joint user association and bandwidth cost minimization problem.

Main Methods:

• Formulated the problem as a joint user association and cost minimization optimization problem.
• Developed an approximation algorithm utilizing relaxation and rounding techniques.
• Analyzed the algorithm's performance bound relative to the optimal solution.

Main Results:

• The proposed approximation algorithm efficiently solves the complex optimization problem.
• The algorithm demonstrates a constant performance ratio compared to the theoretical optimum.
• Simulation results confirm the algorithm's superiority over existing user association schemes.

Conclusions:

• The developed algorithm effectively minimizes bandwidth costs for E-WLAN operators.
• This approach offers a novel perspective on optimizing wireless network resource allocation.
• The findings provide a practical solution for managing costs in high-density wireless networks.