Wireless Backhaul Based on IEEE 802.11ac With Smart Beamforming

Abstract

Efficient wireless backhaul networks using IEEE 802.11ac WiFi systems equipped with phased array antennas are proposed and implemented. The implemented backhaul system is composed of a commercial IEEE 802.11ac chipset, field programmable gate array, and smart antenna, i.e., phased array antennas. To select the best beam direction and maximize the throughput performance, a path-finding algorithm, which is based on the received signal strength and an interpolation method, is proposed. The smart wireless backhaul (SWB) can reduce the time of the initial installation and provide stable quality of service under various channel conditions. In addition, the proposed SWB includes a scheduling scheme with a new queue structure to support a point-to-multipoint network topology. The feasibility and various applications of the proposed SWB are also demonstrated by performing field tests. The implementation and field tests show the potential for wireless backhaul enabling small-cell networks.