Range Extension in IEEE 802.11ah Systems Through Relaying

TL;DR

This paper explores how deploying relay stations in IEEE 802.11ah systems can significantly extend communication range, making them suitable for IoT and M2M applications despite power limitations.

Contribution

It provides an analytical and simulation-based study of range extension using decode-and-forward relays in IEEE 802.11ah, considering realistic fading channels and data rate requirements.

Findings

Relay deployment can extend range close to 1 km.

Robust MCSs can meet 100 kb/s at extended ranges.

Data rate improvements are possible with coding and short packets.

Abstract

A great number of Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) based applications require energy efficient, long range and low data rate wireless communication links. In order to offer a competitive solution in these areas, IEEE 802.11 standardization group has defined the "ah" amendment, the first sub-1GHz WLAN standard, with flexible channel bandwidths, starting from 1MHz, up to 16MHz, and many other physical and link layer improvements, enabling long-range and energy efficient communications. However, for some regions, like Europe, the maximum transmitted power in dedicated frequency band is limited to only 10mW, thus disabling the achievement of ranges which would be close to targeted of up to 1km. In this paper we examine possibilities for range extension through implementation of half-duplex decode-and forward (DF) relay station (RS) in communication between an access point (AP) and an end-station (ST). Assuming a Rician fading channel between AP and RS, and a Rayleigh fading channel on the RS-ST link, we analytically derive results on achievable ranges for the most robust modulation and coding schemes (MCSs). Analyses are performed for two different standard adopted deployment scenarios on the RS-ST link. Moreover, we have analyzed whether the considered most robust MCSs, known for supporting the longest range, but the lowest data rates, can meet the defined requirement of at least 100kb/s for the greatest attainable AP-RS-ST distances. We examine data rate enhancements, brought by coding and using of short packets, for both downlink (DL) and uplink (UL). Finally, we present bit error rate (BER) results, obtained through simulations of a dual-hop DF IEEE 802.11ah relay system for the considered MCs. All presented results confirm that IEEE 802.11ah systems, through deployment of relay stations, become an interesting solution for M2M and IoT based applications.