doc/manual/wifi.texi
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    17 @end menu
    17 @end menu
    18 
    18 
    19 @node Overview of the model
    19 @node Overview of the model
    20 @section Overview of the model
    20 @section Overview of the model
    21 
    21 
    22 @strong{Note:}  This overview is taken largely from the Doxygen for the
    22 The WifiNetDevice models a wireless network interface controller based
    23 WifiNetDevice module.
    23 on the IEEE 802.11 standard.  We will go into more detail below but in brief,
       
    24 ns-3 provides models for these aspects of 802.11:
       
    25 @itemize @bullet
       
    26 @item basic 802.11 DCF with @strong{infrastructure} and @strong{adhoc} modes
       
    27 @item @strong{802.11a} and @strong{802.11b} physical layers
       
    28 @item QoS-based EDCA and queueing extensions of @strong{802.11e}
       
    29 @item various propagation loss models including @strong{Nakagami, Rayleigh, Friis, LogDistance, FixedRss, Random} 
       
    30 @item two propagation delay models, a distance-based and random model
       
    31 @item various rate control algorithms including @strong{Aarf, Arf, Cara, Onoe, Rraa, and ConstantRate} 
       
    32 @item @emph{(under development)} 802.11s (mesh)
       
    33 @item @emph{(under development)} Minstrel rate control
       
    34 @end itemize
    24 
    35 
    25 The set of 802.11 models provided in ns-3 attempts to provide
    36 The set of 802.11 models provided in ns-3 attempts to provide
    26 an accurate MAC-level implementation of the 802.11 specification
    37 an accurate MAC-level implementation of the 802.11 specification
    27 and to provide a not-so-slow PHY-level model of the 802.11a
    38 and to provide a not-so-slow PHY-level model of the 802.11a
    28 specification.
    39 specification.
    29 
    40 
    30 The current implementation provides roughly four levels of models:
    41 The implementation is modular and provides roughly four levels of models:
    31 @itemize @bullet
    42 @itemize @bullet
    32 @item the @strong{PHY layer models}
    43 @item the @strong{PHY layer models}
    33 @item the so-called @strong{MAC low models}: they implement DCF and EDCAF
    44 @item the so-called @strong{MAC low models}: they implement DCF and EDCAF
    34 @item the so-called @strong{MAC high models}: they implement the MAC-level
    45 @item the so-called @strong{MAC high models}: they implement the MAC-level
    35 beacon generation, probing, and association state machines, and
    46 beacon generation, probing, and association state machines, and
    92 @end itemize
   103 @end itemize
    93 
   104 
    94 The PHY layer implements a single model in the 
   105 The PHY layer implements a single model in the 
    95 @code{ns3::WifiPhy class}: the
   106 @code{ns3::WifiPhy class}: the
    96 physical layer model implemented there is described fully in a paper 
   107 physical layer model implemented there is described fully in a paper 
    97 entitled @uref{http://cutebugs.net/files/wns2-yans.pdf,,"Yet Another Network Simulator"}. 
   108 entitled @uref{http://cutebugs.net/files/wns2-yans.pdf,,"Yet Another Network Simulator"}.  Validation results for 802.11b are available in this
       
   109 @uref{http://www.nsnam.org/~pei/80211b.pdf,,technical report}. 
    98 
   110 
    99 In ns-3, nodes can have multiple WifiNetDevices on separate channels,
   111 In ns-3, nodes can have multiple WifiNetDevices on separate channels,
   100 and the WifiNetDevice can coexist with other device types; this removes
   112 and the WifiNetDevice can coexist with other device types; this removes
   101 an architectural limitation found in ns-2.  Presently, however, there
   113 an architectural limitation found in ns-2.  Presently, however, there
   102 is no model for cross-channel interference or coupling.
   114 is no model for cross-channel interference or coupling.
   109 @image{../WifiArchitecture,5in}
   121 @image{../WifiArchitecture,5in}
   110 @end float
   122 @end float
   111 
   123 
   112 @node Using the WifiNetDevice
   124 @node Using the WifiNetDevice
   113 @section Using the WifiNetDevice
   125 @section Using the WifiNetDevice
       
   126 
       
   127 The modularity provided by the implementation makes low-level 
       
   128 configuration of the WifiNetDevice powerful but complex.  For this reason,
       
   129 we provide some helper classes to perform common operations in a simple
       
   130 matter, and leverage the ns-3 attribute system to allow users to control
       
   131 the parameterization of the underlying models.
   114 
   132 
   115 Users who use the low-level ns-3 API and who wish to add a WifiNetDevice
   133 Users who use the low-level ns-3 API and who wish to add a WifiNetDevice
   116 to their node must create an instance of a WifiNetDevice, plus 
   134 to their node must create an instance of a WifiNetDevice, plus 
   117 a number of consitutent objects, and bind them together appropriately
   135 a number of consitutent objects, and bind them together appropriately
   118 (the WifiNetDevice is very modular in this regard, for future
   136 (the WifiNetDevice is very modular in this regard, for future