So far we have looked at resource allocation algorithms in networks with wireline links. In this chapter, we consider networks with wireless components. The major difference between wireless and wireline networks is that in wireless networks links contend for a common resource, namely the wireless spectrum. As a result, we have to design Medium Access Control (MAC) algorithms to decide which links access the wireless medium at each time instant. As we will see, wireless MAC algorithms have features similar to scheduling algorithms for high-speed switches, which were studied in Chapter 4. However, there are some differences: wireless networks are subject to time-varying link quality due to channel fluctuations, also known as channel fading; and transmissions in wireless networks may interfere with each other, so transmissions have to be scheduled to avoid interference. In addition, some wireless networks do not have a central coordinator to perform scheduling, so scheduling decisions have to be taken independently by each link. In this chapter, we will address the following issues specific to wireless networks.
• Does channel-state information play a critical role in scheduling in wireless networks?
• What is the capacity region of a cellular network, and what scheduling algorithm can be used to achieve the full capacity region?
• What is the capacity region of an ad hoc wireless network, what scheduling algorithm can be used to support the capacity region, and can the algorithm be implemented in a distributed fashion?
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