A Cross-Layer Media-Independent Handover Scheme in Heterogeneous WiMAX/WiFi Networks

Abstract

The main challenges in the development of future wireless communication systems are provisioning various services across different radio access technologies to mobile users with satisfactory quality of services. However, as a mobile user moves across network boundaries, the seamless service over heterogeneous networks would be an important concern. To minimize the disruption to the ongoing session while a mobile user is moving from one access network to another, we propose a framework that integrates IEEE 802.11 WLANs and IEEE 802.16 WMANs based on the IEEE 802.21, also called Media Independent Handover (MIH), to facilitate both homogeneous and heterogeneous handovers. Performance evaluation and comparisons have been done through both mathematical analysis and simulation on ns-2 simulator.