| Optimal Strategy for Reducing Handoff in Wireless Mesh Networks | |
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MSRDG International Journal of Computer Scientific Technology & Electronics Engineering
© 2026 by MSRDG IJCSTEE Journal
Volume 2 Issue 2
Year of Publication: 2026 |
Paper Download Article ID MSRDG-IJCSTEE-V2I2P101 DOI https://doi.org/10.66037/MSRDG-IJCSTEE/V2I2P101 |
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Abstract: Handoff management in wireless mesh networks (WMNs) remains a critical determinant of quality-of-service, particularly for delay-sensitive applications such as real-time voice and video. Frequent channel switching during node mobility introduces latency, packet loss, and throughput degradation that standard IEEE 802.11-based protocols fail to adequately mitigate. This paper presents the Optimal Channel Strategy with Fast-Handoff (OCHSF), a novel framework that integrates a composite channel-quality scoring function with a predictive pre-authentication mechanism to reduce handoff delay. OCHSF evaluates candidate channels using a weighted combination of received signal strength (RSS), co-channel interference, channel utilisation, and link-layer round-trip time (RTT). A lightweight greedy search selects the globally optimal channel assignment across a multi-hop mesh topology. Simulation results obtained using NS-3 on an 802.11n WMN topology demonstrate that OCHSF reduces average handoff latency by 72.8% compared with the IEEE 802.11 baseline, by 64.5% over FMIPv6, and by 41.2% over state-of-the-art channel-prediction schemes. Network throughput is improved by up to 47.6% at high node densities, and packet loss rate is reduced by 60.6% at peak mobility speeds. These results confirm that OCHSF provides a robust, scalable solution for delay-sensitive mobility management in WMNs. |
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| Keywords: Wireless mesh networks, Handoff delay, Channel assignment, Mobility management, Quality of service , IEEE 802.11 | |
