Implementation of WLAN Connection Management Schemes in Heterogeneous Network Environments with WLAN and Cellular Networks

Abstract

As increasing demands for mobile communications, importance of utilizing wireless local area network (WLAN) rapidly increases in order to assist cellular networks and to reduce communication cost. In this paper, we propose a WLAN connection management scheme which helps mobile node (MN) to appropriately access WLANs considering minimum required data rates of ongoing services. Moreover, in order to evaluate performance of proposed and conventional connection management schemes, we construct testbed consisting of WLANs and 3GPP high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) network. In addition, we implement server and client applications on MN having both WLAN and HSDPA interfaces. From test results, we find that the proposed connection management scheme can provide steadier and higher data rate than the conventional connection management scheme adopted in Google Android operating system (OS).