Comparison of STR and EMLSR Performance in Wi-Fi 7 MLO

TL;DR

The paper investigates STR and EMLSR within Wi‑Fi 7's Multi‑Link Operation (MLO) using ns‑3 simulations, comparing them against Single‑Link Operation (SLO) under varied MCS, bandwidth, interference, and network size. The study finds that STR delivers higher throughput and lower latency than EMLSR across most scenarios, while EMLSR offers energy‑efficient behavior in power‑sensitive contexts. SLO consistently lags behind MLO modes, reinforcing the benefits of Wi‑Fi 7 MLO capabilities. The results provide deployment guidance and motivate future work on dynamic mode selection and potential hybrid approaches to combine STR and EMLSR strengths for diverse environments.

Abstract

This project compares the performance of simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) and enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) within Multi-Link Operation (MLO) in Wi-Fi 7 networks. Using the ns-3 simulator, we evaluate both techniques under various scenarios, including changes in modulation coding scheme (MCS), bandwidth, link quality, and interference levels. Key performance metrics such as latency, throughput, and energy efficiency are analyzed to determine the trade-offs between STR and EMLSR. The results demonstrate that STR achieves higher throughput and lower latency due to dual-link utilization, making it suitable for high-load environments. In contrast, EMLSR balances energy efficiency with responsiveness, making it advantageous for power-sensitive applications. This analysis provides insights into the strengths and limitations of STR and EMLSR, guiding optimal deployment strategies for future Wi-Fi 7 networks.

Figures (27)

• Figure 1: Throughput Comparison for SLO, STR, and EMLSR
• Figure 2: Queuing Delay Comparison for SLO, STR, and EMLSR
• Figure 3: Access Delay Comparison for SLO, STR, and EMLSR
• Figure 4: End to End Delay Comparison for SLO, STR, and EMLSR
• Figure 5: SLO: Throughput vs. Network Size