Title: IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n short-scale indoor wireless sensor placement

Authors: S. Sendra; J. Lloret; C. Turró; J.M. Aguiar

Addresses: Integrated Management Coastal Research Institute, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, C/Paranimf, No. 1, Grao de Gandia 46730, Spain ' Integrated Management Coastal Research Institute, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, C/Paranimf, No. 1, Grao de Gandia 46730, Spain ' Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain ' Universidad de Valladolid, Plaza Santa Cruz 8, Valladolid 47002, Spain

Abstract: Wireless signals present particular behaviour in indoor environments. Walls, roofs and floors generate reflections and refractions that conduce to constructive and destructive interferences due to the multipath effect. In this paper, we perform an analytical study based on the signal strength generated by an access point (AP) inside a building. The evolution of the signal strength allows us to move away the sensors from the AP without reducing the signal level and link quality. We study the IEEE 802.11 technology. These results are compared with the theoretical distribution channels to know what should be followed to avoid interferences. Finally, taking as a reference the measures provided, we develop a method for estimating indoor signal strength that will help us determine the best position for wireless sensors. Our method will allow saving 15% of sensors. The reduction in the number of sensors provides us economic and energy savings, allowing us to prolong the network lifetime.

Keywords: sensor placement; wireless LANs; local area networks; WLANs; IEEE 802.11; indoor coverage; signal interference; wireless performance; indoor signal strength; wireless networks; network lifetime; WSNs; wireless sensor networks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAHUC.2014.059901

International Journal of Ad Hoc and Ubiquitous Computing, 2014 Vol.15 No.1/2/3, pp.68 - 82

Received: 23 Dec 2012
Accepted: 27 Feb 2013
Published online: 19 Mar 2014 *

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