
Wireless Mesh Network: Architecture and Protocols ◾ 435
by optimal combination of the received signals (Figure 16.9). Although the quality of the signal
is improved, and the range of a given data rate can be extended, the system’s data rate cannot
be increased.
True throughput enhancement can be achieved when a MIMO system is used to transmit
spatial streams on different antennas using spatial division multiplexing (SDM, Figure 16.9). In
this case, PHY’s data rate increases as a function of the independent data streams. MIMO/SDM
is the main enhancement to 802.11’s PHY by the IEEE802.11n-2009 standard.
IEEE 802.11n uses shorter guard intervals ...