Suitable Propagation Models for 2.4 GHz Wireless Networks: Case Study of Gidan Kwano Campus, FUT MINNA

Abstract

In the last few decades, the use of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) popularly referred to as Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) in communication system has been on the increase with the exponential usage of handheld cell phones, laptops, and palm-tops to mention but a few. However, WLAN faces a peculiar propagation issue which lies in its changing propagation environment and this affects the quality of service. Poor quality of service is experienced on WLAN of Gidan Kwano campus of Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, due to signal propagation impairment caused by the terrain and the structures within the campus. In this work, Received Signal Strength (RSS) measurement was conducted at varying radial distances away from the selected Access Points (APs) both in Line of Sight (LOS) and Non- Line of Sight (NLOS) situations. The path loss exponent (n) and standard deviation (σ) were estimated for the environment. For LOS and NLOS scenarios, the obtained path loss exponents were 2.31 dB and 3.2 dB respectively. The developed models were contrasted with the existing standard models and found to perform better based on the quantitative measures taken in the study area. This shows that the developed models can be utilised for accurate access point deployment within the Gidan Kwano Campus, FUT Minna and other environments with similar features.