A study on increasing Wireless Mesh Network performance by routing in advance using cross layer design

Abstract: Wireless Mesh Networks routing standard has not been yet finalized which brought numerous proposals for routing protocols. Regardless the different protocols, the routing process occur at a specific layer called internet layer in TCP/IP, where every packet has to route for its path to destination, therefore an estimated time of milliseconds is to be consumed on every routing process. This paper applies cross layer design to route in advance and prepare a ready path for the packets on the time of its arrival for routing, so the packet saves the time needed on finding its path. The idea is to send a copy of the destination IP address from application layer to the internet layer a head of its time to be delivered for path routing, in order to conduct a routing path for the packet while the original packet along with the original IP address passes the rest of the layers and complete the TCP/IP layering procedure. The work proposes that when a packet reaches the internet layer a routing path should be available and no time is wasted for path routing.

Keywords: WMNs, Cross Layer, Routing Protocols, TCP/IP, Path Routing.