Distributed multiple access procedures to provide voice communications over IEEE 802.11 wireless networks

Abstract

We investigate the provision of real-time voice communications to wireless LAN users. We consider wireless LANs that conform to the IEEE 802.11 standard. This standard specifies as its basic access mechanism a variant of CSMA with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA), which is not suitable for voice communications. We propose enhancements to the CSMA/CA protocol that allow voice traffic to be supported with the required quality of service. In the proposed scheme voice stations compete for access to the channel with short bursts of energy before sending their packets. A performance analysis of the new protocol is outlined. The results of the analysis, and simulations, are presented and discussed.