N.: Net-X: System eXtensions for Supporting Multiple Channels, Multiple Radios, and Other Radio Capabilities

Abstract — There are several interface capabilities that may be available in next generation wireless networks. Some examples of interface capabilities include the ability to set the channel of operation and data rate on a frequent basis, and the ability to equip devices with multiple radio interfaces and multiple antennas. It may be possible to significantly improve the performance of wireless networks by exploiting the interface capabilities through carefully designed protocols. However, current operating systems have poor support for implementing protocols that need to use the available interface capabilities. The goal of the Net-X project is to develop operating system support for utilizing interface capabilities. As a first step in this direction, we have developed an architecture in Linux to support the use of multiple channels, multiple interfaces, and interface switching. This support has been used to implement a set of multichannel protocols that we had previously developed. In this report, we will describe the new architectural support, implementation of the multichannel protocols, and the use of the protocols in a mesh network. We also describe how the architecture may be extended to support the use of other interface capabilities as well. I