Performance Evaluation of Mobility Solutions for Integrated WLAN/3G Networks

Abstract

The accelerated deployment of Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS), a 3rd generation (3G) network, and the widespread use of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) presents an ideal opportunity to integrate these two technologies to exploit the best of them as they complement each other. Achieving seamless vertical handoff in 3G/WLAN integrated networks is the biggest challenge in 3G/WLAN integrated networks. In this thesis, we characterized all the delay components of the vertical handoff delay from UMTS to WLANs in the recently adopted UMTS/WLAN interworking architecture by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) where we consider 3GPP security and Internet protocol integration requirements. Detailed analysis and evaluation of three mobility solutions is presented, namely: Mobile IP (MIP), Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and mobile Stream Control Transmission Protocol (mSCTP). Finally, a side by side comparison is conducted between MIP, SIP, and mSCTP. Simulation results show that Mobile IP with Care of Address (CoA) and Collocated CoA (CCoA) shows robust performance under extreme network conditions compared to the other solutions. Moreover, it is found that 3GPP security procedures contribution range from 40% to 70% to the overall handoff delay.