Research Article
TCP Performance Issues in Satellite and WiFi Hybrid Networks for High-Speed Trains
@ARTICLE{10.4108/trans.ubienv.2012.e5, author={Giovanni Giambene and Silvia Marchi and Sastri Kota}, title={TCP Performance Issues in Satellite and WiFi Hybrid Networks for High-Speed Trains}, journal={EAI Endorsed Transactions on Ubiquitous Environments}, volume={1}, number={1}, publisher={ICST}, journal_a={UE}, year={2012}, month={3}, keywords={Satellite Networks, WiFi, Inter-segment (Vertical) Handover, MIH, MIPv6, TCP}, doi={10.4108/trans.ubienv.2012.e5} }- Giovanni Giambene
Silvia Marchi
Sastri Kota
Year: 2012
TCP Performance Issues in Satellite and WiFi Hybrid Networks for High-Speed Trains
UE
ICST
DOI: 10.4108/trans.ubienv.2012.e5
Abstract
GEO satellite communication systems are an efficient approach for broadband Internet provision on highspeed trains, but some work is still needed to allow a seamless service. In the railway scenario, satellite communications suffer from strong variations in the received signal power and need suitable solutions to deal with long channel disruptions due to tunnels. The approach envisaged in this paper is based on a hybrid network (satellite and terrestrialWiFi coverage) and a Vertical Handover (VHO) procedure to switch seamlessly from one segment to another whenever link quality degrades and a new segment is available. This paper deals with the TCP performance in the presence of VHOs (based on the IEEE 802.21 Media Independent Handover, MIH, standard) from the satellite to a terrestrial wireless segment and viceversa to cover tunnels. Details are provided for the adoption of MIH and MIPv6 in such a context, referring to the BSM standard. Design criteria for the WiFi coverage extension outside the tunnel are also presented. Finally, we have shown that TCP goodput behavior and convergence time can be improved by means of suitable accelerated TCP versions or using cross-layer methods.
Copyright © 2012 Giambene, et al., licensed to ICST. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unlimited use, distribution and reproduction in any medium so long as the original work is properly cited.
