Exploring millimeter-wave network scenarios with ray-tracing based simulations in mmTrace

Abstract

The advantages of mm-wave communication technology with highly directional transmissions enable high data rates in dense wireless networks. Even though first consumer hardware is already available, specific propagation effects are not yet well understood. Analyses of wireless network behavior with mm-wave communication links are required to design efficient protocols. In this work, we consider three well-known problem scenarios in wireless networks in our ray-tracing based channel simulation framework mmTrace. Our results indicate that mm-waves exhibit advantages to block interferences but also raise the question of optimal antenna alignment. Simulations as ours highlight the importance of mm-wave propagation models as network behavior differs from common considerations.