Fi-Wi Networks
The optical and wireless networks are an important part of the modern world of technology. Both the networks are capable of providing efficient, cost-effective, flexible architectures for the different types of networks. The advantages of both the networks can be combined to get a new hybrid network called Fi-Wi (Fiber-Wireless) network that is capable of providing promising services to both the networks at the same time. The Fi-Wi network is an arrangement of optical and wireless networks. It supports both types of connections in the network.
The fiber-wireless network provides provide a number of advantages that include
- Higher bandwidth
- Reliability
- Cost-effectiveness
- Increased network capacity
- Separate services
- Separate service providers
- Better flexibility
The basic architecture of Fi-Wi consists of PON (Passive Optical Network) as a backend network and WMN (Wireless Mesh Network) as a frontend network. The normal architecture of Fi-Wi network is shown in figure 1. The main parts of the PON are Remote Node (RN), Optical Line Terminal (OLT), fibers, and Optical Network Unit (ONU). The WMN consists of wireless routers, end-users, and wireless gateways (Bhatt, U. R. et al., 2015).
Fig. 1: Basic architecture of Fi-Wi (Bhatt, U. R., Sarsodia T. et al., 2015)
With the increase in technology and the latest trends, the Fi-Wi networks give rise to new more powerful access networks to provides more optimized solutions and paradigms. Currently, there are two techniques that can be used to implement the fiber-wireless networks. One is FSO (Free Space Optical) that is also known as optical wireless, second is RoF (Radio over fiber). FSO allows the line of sight communications that enables point to point connections by modulating the signals that are in the form of infrared beams. Whereas the RoF technique uses the analog link to send the modulated frequency (Ghazisaidi, N. et al., 2009).
Fi-Wi networks provide high data rate over the networks that are making these networks popular but in case if any component fails then there may be huge data loss as well. So, the network must be designed in a way so that it can survive in such situations and prevent such kind of data losses. A number of algorithms were developed in past and many are in progress that can increase the data rate of Fi-Wi networks and to reduce the blocking probability in the networks (Bhatt, U. R., Sarsodia T. et al., 2015). The blocking probability specifies the ratio of blocked requests on the network for the connection requests.
The main requirement of the Fi-Wi network is to be integrated with the existing infrastructure of the optical networks. With this, there are chances that fiber-wireless technology can easily adapt the advantage of previous networks and provides more benefits related to bandwidth and data rate as well. Due to these reasons, the fiber-wireless networks are also useful in the areas where a wired connection is not possible and high speed of data rate is required such as disaster recovery environments (Lisa Zyga., 2010).
It has been observed that Fi-Wi network can be deployed using various architectures and technologies that make it more popular and famous. But there are still numerous challenges that need to be overcome related to Fi-Wi networks. These challenges include finding the scalable and feasible architecture and related technology to support the network. Another challenge is to successfully integrate these technologies into the network so that they can work as required (Ghazisaidi, N. et al., 2009).
Apart from these, new technologies to provide more bandwidth for networks must be studied in more detail. Routing in the wireless mesh networks is another issue that needs to address for more development in this field. Fi-Wi network protocols and architecture made significant progress that can open many ways for future developments.
But still, there are a number of areas that need to addressed to provide more quality services on the Fiber-Wireless networks such as routing, bandwidth allocation, and specific technology related to architecture. But with the growing trends of more techniques and technologies, it is possible that these networks will soon replace the existing fiber networks to provide more bandwidth and increased the data rate.
