Users macro and micro-mobility study using WLANs in a University Campus

Abstract

Wireless Local Area Networks are important and necessary in university campuses and large enterprise areas. Such networks allow us to have data connection anywhere without wires and many other benefits such as to obtain the location of the users. Moreover, they can be used to track the users. Tracking the user’s mobility we can know which places are most visited, if people have to go to places that are far from their office, detect the best location for emergency points, etc. Moreover, we can study the mobility pattern of several users. According to this pattern, the network can use reconfiguration systems to reallocate resources and improve its connectivity. This paper shows us the case study of a university campus of two square kilometers and how we have taken advantage of the information gathered from the wireless network. Two studies (macro and micro mobility) have been done in order to make this survey. This approach can be used by the enterprises to optimize the sites to place their resources (network printers, servers, meeting rooms, etc.). Furthermore, the network’s administrators can use these parameters to improve the network’s behavior by providing a better connection, better roaming, etc.