Cross layer resource allocation for fault-tolerant topology control in wireless mesh networks based on genetic algorithm

Abstract Optimal topology control is an essential factor for efficient development of wireless mesh networks. For this purpose, a set of available tools can be exploited including power control, rate adaptation, channel assignment, channel selection, scheduling and routing. In most recent studies, only some of these tools are applied for throughput maximization. In this paper, we first propose a comprehensive cross-layer resource allocation model for topology control in which a complete set of available tools are exploited in order to guarantee the fairness, balancing and robustness, in addition to throughput maximization. This leads to an NP-complete problem; therefore, we propose a four steps heuristic method based on problem decomposition to reduce the computational complexity. In first step, the best K potential paths with disjoint vertices are extracted between each pair of nodes. In second step, a method based on the genetic algorithm is proposed in order to assign frequency channels to the links of these paths. This assignment procedure must preserve the essential links and must reduce the potential interference of the network. In third step, best compatible configurations are extracted on each frequency channel using power control and rate adaptation. It must be performed such that minimizes the power consumption, maximizes the transmission rate and provides the transmission rate balancing on the links. In last step, a cross-layer method is proposed for selecting the best path between each pair of nodes such that throughput maximization, fairness, and balancing on nodes and frequency channels are met. Validation in terms of numerical results demonstrates the efficiency of our proposed method for topology control in wireless mesh networks