Data Path Management Mechanism to Mesh Base Stations in WiMAX

Abstract

Three options are popular today for design of wireless networks - Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint and Mesh topologies. Worldwide interoperability of microwave access (WiMAX) is most often associated with the point-to-multipoint (PMP) topology. For some requirements, the configuration of the base stations (BSs) is aimed to be as mesh. Mesh offers a combination of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint capability by having each of the base station able to communicate with other base stations. This averts the base station element in the standard, besides the process flow across relevant interfaces. The paper proposes a Distributed Data Path Function (DDPF) that allows peers/network elements to exchange data traffic between meshed base stations where WiMAX doesn't allow this. The proposed solution is layer-3 and includes the design of a routing table for a mesh configuration of cell-site (radio base station) routers with a base station controller. Some changes are needed which will be explored throughout the paper promoted with figures to illustrate the idea.