Quality of service in wireless networks based on differentiated services architecture

This paper considers the problem of providing signaling support for quality of service (QoS) in wireless and mobile networks. In particular, it proposes an architecture based on the differentiated services (Diffserv) framework being developed for wired networks. The architecture presents the need for an explicit signaling protocol that is necessary since Diffserv uses an implicit mechanism. The class-based queuing (CBQ) algorithm has been used for scheduling user requests and has also been modified to handle several wireless-specific features. This includes user mobility, packet loss characterization, lower wireless bandwidth, and battery power constraints. The framework and mechanisms have been implemented in a wireless testbed for the FreeBSD operating system using Pentium workstations and WaveLAN wireless equipment. Experimental results from this testbed show the validity of the proposed Diffserv model and also provide performance analyses.