U.S. - INDIA COOPERATIVE RESEARCH: MULTICHANNEL MULTIHOP WIRELESS LANS FOR RAPID DEPLOYMENT

0423460 Samir Das Description: This award supports the U.S.-India Cooperative Research: Multichannel Multihop Wireless LANs for Rapid Deployment. Professors Samir Das, State University of New York at Stony Brook (SUNY) and Vasant Avaghade, Networking and Internet Software Group, Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune propose an experimental study to develop a prototype multihop wireless local area network (WLAN) architecture. Their goal is to make the scheme completely transparent to client devices so that it will be unnecessary to use client nodes with wireless links to connect to a wired network through Access Points (APs). They will explore use of multiple channels on multiple radio interfaces in each AP to get a capacity enhancement, and develop and analyze channel assignment issues and protocols. They also plan to study scheduling algorithms that can power off some APs so that coverage can be maintained while extending the lifetime of the network. Scope: The collaborating institution in India, C-DAC, has been a leading research center for advanced computing for several decades and currently is at the forefront of R&D in networking and internet technologies. This project will enhance collaboration between C-DAC and SUNY and both institutions stand to benefit from the complementary expertise offered by each partner. C-DAC has long experience in implementing research prototypes; SUNY's expertise lies in basic research in networking, protocol development and analysis. This project will have an impact on lowering the deployment costs of telecommunication infrastructure and services in "developing" countries such as India and will contribute to reducing the "digital divide" between those who can and cannot use new information and communication tools effectively.