Performance and Handoff Evaluation of Heterogeneous Wireless Networks (hwns) Using Opnet Simulator

The need for coupling Heterogeneous Wireless Networks (HWNs) such as WLAN, WiMAX or UMTS, play a great role in developing towards fourth generation of wireless networks. Hence, the algorithms for these networks must be developed especially handoff algorithms to present a better performance in such heterogeneous networks. In this paper, several projects have different types of networks were implemented and simulated in different case studies offered by OPNET simulation to make Intra-technology handoff (horizontal handoff) switching in each network and Inter-technology handoff (vertical handoff) by interworking between two HWNs. OPNET simulation results show that the superiors of WiMAX performance through this research on the WLAN and UMTS networks. The performance of WiMAX throughput beats the other networks in much than 30%. Also, the simulation results show the successful implementation and simulation of the deployment of WLAN into WiMAX and UMTS network by using multiple network interfaces. In this work, it found that it is very difficult to successfully complete the vertical handoff between WLAN-WiMAX and WLAN-UMTS without carefully and accurately engineering the WLAN network due to highlighting the fundamental different in HWNs. General Terms: Wireless Networks, OPNET Simulator, Mobility Management and Handoff Process.