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IEEE 802.11be Network Throughput Optimization with Multi-Link Operation and AP Coordination

Lyutianyang Zhang, Hao Yin, Sumit Roy, Liu Cao, Xiangyu Gao, Vanlin Sathya

TL;DR

This work tackles throughput and fairness in IEEE 802.11be networks employing Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and AP coordination by proposing a data-driven, two-step optimization: first, AP–STA pairing, then radio link allocation. The AP–STA pairing is formulated as a mixed multi-dimensional knapsack problem, which, via the total unimodularity of a constructed incidence matrix, can be solved optimally through linear programming; a greedy baseline is also provided. Radio link allocation uses a proportional-fair scheduler to maximize a log-utility of channel conditions, with a complexity of O(FMN) and proven convergence. Evaluations using cross-layer PHY–MAC modeling show significant throughput gains of MLO with STR over single-link operations, and PF-based allocation yields faster convergence and better fairness than round-robin, highlighting the practical impact for dense Wi-Fi 7 deployments. Overall, the paper delivers a scalable, controller-assisted framework for maximizing throughput while maintaining fairness in MLO-enabled, multi-AP Wi-Fi 7 networks.

Abstract

IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) introduces a new concept called multi-link operation (MLO), which allows multiple Wi-Fi interfaces in different bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) to work together to increase network throughput, reduce latency, and improve spectrum reuse efficiency in dense overlapping networks. To make the most of MLO, this paper proposes a new data-driven resource allocation algorithm for the 11be network with the aid of an access point (AP) controller. To maximize network throughput, a network topology optimization problem is formulated for 11be network, which is solved by exploiting the totally unimodular property of the bipartite graph formed by the connection between AP and station (STA) in Wi-Fi networks. Subsequently, a proportional fairness algorithm is applied for radio link allocation, network throughput optimization considering the channel condition, and the fairness of the multi-link device (MLD) data rate. The performance of the proposed algorithm on two main MLO implementations - multi-link multi-radio (MLMR) with simultaneous transmission and reception (STR), and the interplay between multiple nodes employing them are evaluated through cross-layer (PHY-MAC) data rate simulation with PHY abstraction.

IEEE 802.11be Network Throughput Optimization with Multi-Link Operation and AP Coordination

TL;DR

This work tackles throughput and fairness in IEEE 802.11be networks employing Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and AP coordination by proposing a data-driven, two-step optimization: first, AP–STA pairing, then radio link allocation. The AP–STA pairing is formulated as a mixed multi-dimensional knapsack problem, which, via the total unimodularity of a constructed incidence matrix, can be solved optimally through linear programming; a greedy baseline is also provided. Radio link allocation uses a proportional-fair scheduler to maximize a log-utility of channel conditions, with a complexity of O(FMN) and proven convergence. Evaluations using cross-layer PHY–MAC modeling show significant throughput gains of MLO with STR over single-link operations, and PF-based allocation yields faster convergence and better fairness than round-robin, highlighting the practical impact for dense Wi-Fi 7 deployments. Overall, the paper delivers a scalable, controller-assisted framework for maximizing throughput while maintaining fairness in MLO-enabled, multi-AP Wi-Fi 7 networks.

Abstract

IEEE 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) introduces a new concept called multi-link operation (MLO), which allows multiple Wi-Fi interfaces in different bands (2.4, 5, and 6 GHz) to work together to increase network throughput, reduce latency, and improve spectrum reuse efficiency in dense overlapping networks. To make the most of MLO, this paper proposes a new data-driven resource allocation algorithm for the 11be network with the aid of an access point (AP) controller. To maximize network throughput, a network topology optimization problem is formulated for 11be network, which is solved by exploiting the totally unimodular property of the bipartite graph formed by the connection between AP and station (STA) in Wi-Fi networks. Subsequently, a proportional fairness algorithm is applied for radio link allocation, network throughput optimization considering the channel condition, and the fairness of the multi-link device (MLD) data rate. The performance of the proposed algorithm on two main MLO implementations - multi-link multi-radio (MLMR) with simultaneous transmission and reception (STR), and the interplay between multiple nodes employing them are evaluated through cross-layer (PHY-MAC) data rate simulation with PHY abstraction.
Paper Structure (18 sections, 1 theorem, 24 equations, 11 figures, 1 table, 3 algorithms)

This paper contains 18 sections, 1 theorem, 24 equations, 11 figures, 1 table, 3 algorithms.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Contribution
  3. MLO System Model and Formulation
  4. Overview of 802.11 MAC and PHY
  5. Multi Link Device (MLD) Enabled Networking
  6. Step 1: AP-STA Pairing
  7. Step 2: Radio Link Allocation
  8. Performance Evaluation
  9. Data Rate Estimation over Wi-Fi Channels
  10. Packet Error Rate Estimation
  11. Channel Data Rate
  12. Performance Analysis: Throughput
  13. Performance analysis: Fairness
  14. Comparison between the Solution to Joint Problem 1 and Our Proposed Solution
  15. Summary
  16. ...and 3 more sections

Key Result

Lemma 1

Let $\mathbf{A}$ be a TU $m \times n$ matrix and let $\mathbf{b} \in \mathbb{Z}^{m}$. Then each vertex of the polyhedron is an integer vector.

Figures (11)

  • Figure 1: Proposed Architecture for MAPC.
  • Figure 2: Multi-link Architecture and Transmission Modes.
  • Figure 3: AP-STA Pairing and Radio Link Allocation.
  • Figure 4: Flow Chart of the Proposed Method.
  • Figure 5: PHY Abstraction Validation: IEEE Channel Model-B, MCS 3, LDPC, Channel Bandwidth = 20 MHz, Packet Size = 1500 Bytes.
  • ...and 6 more figures

Theorems & Definitions (4)

  • Lemma 1
  • proof
  • Remark 1
  • Remark 2