Throughput Enhancement Through Combined Fragmentation and Rate Method in IEEE 802.11b WLANS

IEEE 802.11 allows for fragmentation tuning and rate selection. Their combined usage is referred sometimes to link adaptation. However, the algorithms of link adaptation are beyond the 802.11 standards. In this paper we investigate the benefits arising from proper use of link adaptation. Particularly, we develop a mathematical model describing the fragmented transmission in 802.11b. We examine potential benefits of it over AWGN and fading channels. More significantly we combine fragmentation tuning with bit-rate selection to yield the highest achievable throughput performance for any given channel conditions. Finally, we propose an algorithm that performs the optimal link adaptation