Performance of wireless networks in highly reflective rooms with variable absorption

Abstract

Wireless communications provide opportunities to extend the reach of command and control assets to military members separated from traditional wired networks. Indoor wireless systems are already used in a variety of applications, including office, residential, and even military environments. However, highly radio frequency (RF)-reflective rooms, such as internal shipboard compartments, well decks, and amphibious combat vehicles, represent extreme conditions for the use of these systems. While wireless communications under such extreme conditions are very difficult or even impossible due to reflected waves, changes in the environment, such as objects or human bodies moving in and out of the room, produce signal power absorption randomly. The purpose of this thesis is to find an optimized solution for the use of wireless local-area-network devices to provide acceptable throughput in the presence of reflected RF-energy and variable power absorption within reflective compartments. This thesis analyzes the performance of the standard IEEE 802.11ac in reflective environments by testing new available commercial wireless devices in order to provide online access to information and applications from such rooms.