Optimization algorithms in wireless monitoring networks: A survey

Abstract

Wireless network has emancipated people from the bondage of wired network and enhanced the quality of human life. However, there remain a few areas pertaining to wireless network that require attention, such as network congestion, low communication reliability and security. With the increasing scale and extended applications of Internet of Things (IoT), there is a growing demand for reliability, stability and security within the network. Wireless network monitoring is an effective system put in place which involves distributed sniffers that capture the transmitted data of wireless users, facilitating status analysis, fault diagnosis and resource management of the network system. Due to the limited number of sniffers, optimization of hardware configuration and channel assignment of sniffers is paramount, which can significantly improve the amount of captured data and the monitoring quality of the wireless network. Primarily, the concept, classification and characteristics of wireless network monitoring are introduced. Secondarily, the application of optimization algorithms in wireless network monitoring, particularly the channel selection algorithms during the data collection process and the channels and time-slot scheduling algorithms during the data aggregation process are summarized. Finally, the challenges faced when building a wireless network monitoring are discussed and to conclude prospects aimed towards the development of this research field are put forward.