Using picocells to build high-throughput 802.11 networks

摘要

In a typical indoor 802.11 wireless net-work, a single access point can cover 2500 to 10,000 square feet (based on typical access point placement, which is normally 50-100 feet apart). Picocells are substantially smaller RF coverage areas—on the order of 150 to 1000 square feet (cells on the order of 10-35 feet in diameter). They are used to provide high data throughput for dense wireless terminals and appliances by minimizing the amount of bandwidth that is shared among wireless users. A sample application for picocells would be a sporting arena, lecture hall, dense cubicle farm, or the trading floor of a stock exchange, where hundreds of wireless users require simultaneous high-bandwidth wireless services while confined within a localized space. Creating a single picocell is relatively easy. However, it is difficult to deploy large numbers of non-overlapping picocells in a tightly packed space.