Optimal Downlink/Uplink Throughput Allocation for IEEE 802.11 DCF Networks

In this letter, we study how to adaptively tune system parameters to optimize the downlink and uplink throughput performance of IEEE 802.11 networks. In contrast to previous studies which only focus on achieving a target downlink/uplink throughput ratio, we show that by properly choosing the initial backoff window sizes of the access point and mobile stations, the total network throughput (i.e., the sum of downlink throughput and uplink throughput) can be maximized while maintaining the downlink/uplink throughput ratio at the target level simultaneously. Explicit expressions of the optimal initial backoff window sizes are obtained, and verified by simulation results.