arXiv subjects

Iñaki Val

Publications and source records attributed to Iñaki Val.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Tutorial on IEEE 802.11bn Multi-AP Coordination for Wi-Fi 8: From Standardization to Performance Evaluation

The IEEE 802.11bn amendment defines significant modifications to the standard by establishing Ultra High Reliability (UHR) targets in Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). This is expected to deliver substantial enhancements over previous standards, including modes of operation that increase throughput, reduce the 95th percentile of the latency distribution, and decrease MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU) loss (all by at least 25%) compared to Extremely High Throughput (EHT) operations defined in the 802.11be amendment. A fundamental innovation for achieving these ambitious goals is the introduction of Multi-Access Point Coordination (MAPC), an unprecedented feature whereby APs will be able to coordinate among themselves to enhance spectrum utilization and advance towards reliability. This paper provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of this key framework. We begin by reviewing existing AP coordination solutions that precede the 802.11bn standard, which serve as a foundation for understanding the transition to the current framework. We then describe the technical 802.11bn MAPC framework as defined by the task group. A detailed overview of each candidate MAPC feature is provided, contextualized with the relevant state-of-the-art. Furthermore, we introduce Kom8ndor, an open-source Wi-Fi 8 simulation tool, to evaluate these candidate MAPC features and showcase their potential to achieve UHR goals. Finally, we outline the future of MAPC beyond 802.11bn, exploring promising directions such as coordination schemes beyond 802.11bn (e.g., Joint Transmission (JT)) and new ideas.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2025

Wi-Fi: Twenty-Five Years and Counting

Today, Wi-Fi is over 25 years old. Yet, despite sharing the same branding name, today's Wi-Fi boasts entirely new capabilities that were not even on the roadmap 25 years ago. This article aims to provide a holistic and comprehensive technical and historical tutorial on Wi-Fi, beginning with IEEE 802.11b (Wi-Fi 1) and looking forward to IEEE 802.11bn (Wi-Fi 8). This is the first tutorial article to span these eight generations. Rather than a generation-by-generation exposition, we describe the key mechanisms that have advanced Wi-Fi. We begin by discussing spectrum allocation and coexistence, and detailing the IEEE 802.11 standardization cycle. Second, we provide an overview of the physical layer and describe key elements that have enabled data rates to increase by over 1,000x. Third, we describe how Wi-Fi Medium Access Control has been enhanced from the original Distributed Coordination Function to now include capabilities spanning from frame aggregation to wideband spectrum access. Fourth, we describe how Wi-Fi 5 first broke the one-user-at-a-time paradigm and introduced multi-user access. Fifth, given the increasing use of mobile, battery-powered devices, we describe Wi-Fi's energy-saving mechanisms over the generations. Sixth, we discuss how Wi-Fi was enhanced to seamlessly aggregate spectrum across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands to improve throughput, reliability, and latency. Finally, we describe how Wi-Fi enables nearby Access Points to coordinate in order to improve performance and efficiency. In the Appendix, we further discuss Wi-Fi developments beyond 802.11bn, including integrated mmWave operations, sensing, security and privacy extensions, and the adoption of AI/ML.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2020

The Wireless Train Communication Network: Roll2Rail vision

This paper explains the main results obtained from the research carried out in the work package 2 (WP2) of the Roll2Rail (R2R) project. This project aims to develop key technologies and to remove already identified blocking points for radical innovation in the field of railway vehicles, to increase their operational reliability and to reduce life-cycle costs. This project started in May 2015 and has been funded by the Horizon 2020 program of the European Commission. The goal for WP2 is to research on both technologies and architectures to develop a new wireless Train Communication Network (TCN) within IEC61375 standard series. This TCN is today entirely wired and is used for Train Control and Monitoring System (TCMS) functions (some of them safetyrelated), operator-oriented services and customer-oriented services. This paradigm shift from wired to wireless means a removal of wirings implies, among other benefits, a significant reduction of life cycle costs due to the removal of cables, and the simplification of the train coupling procedure, among others.

cs.NI↗