WLAN 802.11 b/g interference into ZigBee networks

Abstract

ZigBee network as a low rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPANs) developed very fast nowadays. Since both ZigBee network and WLAN (802.11b/g) operate in the 2.4GHz unlicensed industrial scientific medical (ISM) frequency band, signal interference is possible to exist and result in signal degradation when devices are collocated in the same environment. This thesis analyzes, simulates and measures the interference and evaluates ZigBee network performance under the WLAN interference in terms of Packet Error Rate (PER) and Packet Loss Ratio (PLR). And the investigation emphasis of this thesis is impacts of ZigBee network under diverse interference that with respect to different distances between two networks and different centre frequency offsets. An interference simulation model was suggested in order to obtain analytical PER. AVR RZ200 evaluation kit was used for actual Packet Loss Ratio measurement. This thesis introduces methods that can be utilized in investigation of interference issue of two coexistent wireless networks. The research results are significant for further research and development in ZigBee field.