On the Prediction of Wi-Fi Performance through Deep Learning

TL;DR

This paper explores deep learning models, CNN and LSTM, to predict Wi-Fi Frame Delivery Ratio from binary success/failure sequences, aiming to improve reliability in industrial systems with limited computational resources.

Contribution

It compares CNN and LSTM models for Wi-Fi performance prediction, highlighting CNN's lower latency and suitability for resource-constrained environments.

Findings

Both models predict FDR accurately from minimal data.

CNN offers lower inference latency with slight accuracy trade-offs.

Models are suitable for adaptive strategies in industrial Wi-Fi systems.

Abstract

Ensuring reliable and predictable communications is one of the main goals in modern industrial systems that rely on Wi-Fi networks, especially in scenarios where continuity of operation and low latency are required. In these contexts, the ability to predict changes in wireless channel quality can enable adaptive strategies and significantly improve system robustness. This contribution focuses on the prediction of the Frame Delivery Ratio (FDR), a key metric that represents the percentage of successful transmissions, starting from time sequences of binary outcomes (success/failure) collected in a real scenario. The analysis focuses on two models of deep learning: a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and a Long Short-Term Memory network (LSTM), both selected for their ability to predict the outcome of time sequences. Models are compared in terms of prediction accuracy and computational complexity, with the aim of evaluating their applicability to systems with limited resources. Preliminary results show that both models are able to predict the evolution of the FDR with good accuracy, even from minimal information (a single binary sequence). In particular, CNN shows a significantly lower inference latency, with a marginal loss in accuracy compared to LSTM.