[Discuss-gnuradio] WiMAX scanner

[Sebastian Komorowski]

Hello,

  
I am interested in WiMAX technology (802.16e). In my research I am
dealing with algorithms for admission control in Matlab. Typically these
algorithms are located “within base station” – although they are not
standardized by any organization. In simulations it is simple to “deploy
them” as they are located inside BTS source code.


As regards verification and validation of such algorithms I am currently
using well known simulator which is ns2 – i.e. well known to the
research
community. It is clear however that “simulations vs reality” is not
always very close…. That is why I am interested in collecting data from
real network in a vendor agnostic way (in general from any network i.e.
build upon BTSes delivered by any vendor) – it means that I would like
to
“observe” traffic intensity/duration/etc directly from the radio. I am
using PureWave 6600 at university premises.

 
The input data for the algorithms I am interested in is the wireless
connection characteristics e.g.: connection requests, time of connection,
type of traffic, connection close, etc.

Unfortunately to my knowledge there is no one-fits-all (or virtually any)
solution to communicate with inside components of a BTS in an automated
manner (i.e. from within a software program that is learning for best
policy etc).

 
That is why I have started to think about using USRP (or its brother from
NI / or any other SDR) to play a role of passive probe for WiMAX wireless
signalling. I have seen that there is a “wimax scanner” project but it
seems unfinished (or would it actually be operational in the area I
mention?). Please let me know:

1.       Is it possible to use “wimax scanner” with USRP right away
(i.e. without much effort spent on programming)?

2.       Is wimax scanner full featured solution? (i.e. what can I do with
it)

3.       What statistics I could capture with it?

4.       What limitations does it has?

5.       Are there any plans for continuing its development?

6.       Do you know if there is already happening an approach to develop
complete WiMAX stack as there is for GSM – OpenBTS…?

 

Thank you for the assessment of my question or any hints.

 

Best,

Sebastian