Understanding Minstrel's rc_stats file in Linux (WiFi bitrate adaptation algorithm)
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Problem:
The statistics used by minstrel_ht - Linux's typical WiFi bitrate adaptation algorithm - are published in the file /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats.
This file has a table-like structure. According to the sources I could find ([1, 2], didn't check the source code), I've understood that the letters in the 'best rate' column refer to special bitrates which then make part of Minstrel's 'retry chain':
T : highest throughput
t : second highest throughput
P : highest probability of success (i.e., delivery probability)
However, after inspecting the file myself I found a different set of letters: A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP.
Question:
What is the meaning of the letters A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP in the 'best rate' column of the /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats file?
I've made an experiment and collected the contents of the rc_stats_csv over a period of aprox. 2.5 minutes (results here), and verified that A is probably the equivalent to 'highest throughput', and B, C and D to 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest, respectively. The *P probably refer to the rates with better delivery probabilities.
linux wireless-networking linux-kernel wifi-driver
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
favorite
Problem:
The statistics used by minstrel_ht - Linux's typical WiFi bitrate adaptation algorithm - are published in the file /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats.
This file has a table-like structure. According to the sources I could find ([1, 2], didn't check the source code), I've understood that the letters in the 'best rate' column refer to special bitrates which then make part of Minstrel's 'retry chain':
T : highest throughput
t : second highest throughput
P : highest probability of success (i.e., delivery probability)
However, after inspecting the file myself I found a different set of letters: A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP.
Question:
What is the meaning of the letters A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP in the 'best rate' column of the /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats file?
I've made an experiment and collected the contents of the rc_stats_csv over a period of aprox. 2.5 minutes (results here), and verified that A is probably the equivalent to 'highest throughput', and B, C and D to 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest, respectively. The *P probably refer to the rates with better delivery probabilities.
linux wireless-networking linux-kernel wifi-driver
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
1
"didn't check the source code" So go check the source code.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 2 at 17:27
1
@DavidPostill I thought it would be more difficult to find the answer in the code since I'm not familiar with browsing Linux kernel's code. Nevertheless, I've followed your advice and found the answer. I've answered my own question, since this may be useful to others.
– fortune_pickle
Dec 2 at 17:54
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
favorite
up vote
-1
down vote
favorite
Problem:
The statistics used by minstrel_ht - Linux's typical WiFi bitrate adaptation algorithm - are published in the file /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats.
This file has a table-like structure. According to the sources I could find ([1, 2], didn't check the source code), I've understood that the letters in the 'best rate' column refer to special bitrates which then make part of Minstrel's 'retry chain':
T : highest throughput
t : second highest throughput
P : highest probability of success (i.e., delivery probability)
However, after inspecting the file myself I found a different set of letters: A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP.
Question:
What is the meaning of the letters A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP in the 'best rate' column of the /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats file?
I've made an experiment and collected the contents of the rc_stats_csv over a period of aprox. 2.5 minutes (results here), and verified that A is probably the equivalent to 'highest throughput', and B, C and D to 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest, respectively. The *P probably refer to the rates with better delivery probabilities.
linux wireless-networking linux-kernel wifi-driver
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
Problem:
The statistics used by minstrel_ht - Linux's typical WiFi bitrate adaptation algorithm - are published in the file /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats.
This file has a table-like structure. According to the sources I could find ([1, 2], didn't check the source code), I've understood that the letters in the 'best rate' column refer to special bitrates which then make part of Minstrel's 'retry chain':
T : highest throughput
t : second highest throughput
P : highest probability of success (i.e., delivery probability)
However, after inspecting the file myself I found a different set of letters: A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP.
Question:
What is the meaning of the letters A, B, C, D, BP, CP and DP in the 'best rate' column of the /sys/kernel/debug/ieee80211/phy*/*/stations/*/rc_stats file?
I've made an experiment and collected the contents of the rc_stats_csv over a period of aprox. 2.5 minutes (results here), and verified that A is probably the equivalent to 'highest throughput', and B, C and D to 2nd, 3rd and 4th highest, respectively. The *P probably refer to the rates with better delivery probabilities.
linux wireless-networking linux-kernel wifi-driver
linux wireless-networking linux-kernel wifi-driver
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
asked Dec 2 at 17:20
fortune_pickle
164
164
1
"didn't check the source code" So go check the source code.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 2 at 17:27
1
@DavidPostill I thought it would be more difficult to find the answer in the code since I'm not familiar with browsing Linux kernel's code. Nevertheless, I've followed your advice and found the answer. I've answered my own question, since this may be useful to others.
– fortune_pickle
Dec 2 at 17:54
add a comment |
1
"didn't check the source code" So go check the source code.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 2 at 17:27
1
@DavidPostill I thought it would be more difficult to find the answer in the code since I'm not familiar with browsing Linux kernel's code. Nevertheless, I've followed your advice and found the answer. I've answered my own question, since this may be useful to others.
– fortune_pickle
Dec 2 at 17:54
1
1
"didn't check the source code" So go check the source code.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 2 at 17:27
"didn't check the source code" So go check the source code.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 2 at 17:27
1
1
@DavidPostill I thought it would be more difficult to find the answer in the code since I'm not familiar with browsing Linux kernel's code. Nevertheless, I've followed your advice and found the answer. I've answered my own question, since this may be useful to others.
– fortune_pickle
Dec 2 at 17:54
@DavidPostill I thought it would be more difficult to find the answer in the code since I'm not familiar with browsing Linux kernel's code. Nevertheless, I've followed your advice and found the answer. I've answered my own question, since this may be useful to others.
– fortune_pickle
Dec 2 at 17:54
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
According to the rc80211_minstrel_ht_debugfs.c source file, minstrel_ht_stats_dump() method (available here), the letters in the 'best rate' column in the rc_stats file mean the following:
A : Highest throughput
B : 2nd highest throughput
C : 3rd highest throughput
D : 4th highest throughput
P : Maximum delivery probability
Cases with two letters, e.g. 'PA', mean when a bitrate is both the i-th highest in throughput and the one with the maximum delivery probability.
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
According to the rc80211_minstrel_ht_debugfs.c source file, minstrel_ht_stats_dump() method (available here), the letters in the 'best rate' column in the rc_stats file mean the following:
A : Highest throughput
B : 2nd highest throughput
C : 3rd highest throughput
D : 4th highest throughput
P : Maximum delivery probability
Cases with two letters, e.g. 'PA', mean when a bitrate is both the i-th highest in throughput and the one with the maximum delivery probability.
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
According to the rc80211_minstrel_ht_debugfs.c source file, minstrel_ht_stats_dump() method (available here), the letters in the 'best rate' column in the rc_stats file mean the following:
A : Highest throughput
B : 2nd highest throughput
C : 3rd highest throughput
D : 4th highest throughput
P : Maximum delivery probability
Cases with two letters, e.g. 'PA', mean when a bitrate is both the i-th highest in throughput and the one with the maximum delivery probability.
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
up vote
0
down vote
accepted
According to the rc80211_minstrel_ht_debugfs.c source file, minstrel_ht_stats_dump() method (available here), the letters in the 'best rate' column in the rc_stats file mean the following:
A : Highest throughput
B : 2nd highest throughput
C : 3rd highest throughput
D : 4th highest throughput
P : Maximum delivery probability
Cases with two letters, e.g. 'PA', mean when a bitrate is both the i-th highest in throughput and the one with the maximum delivery probability.
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
According to the rc80211_minstrel_ht_debugfs.c source file, minstrel_ht_stats_dump() method (available here), the letters in the 'best rate' column in the rc_stats file mean the following:
A : Highest throughput
B : 2nd highest throughput
C : 3rd highest throughput
D : 4th highest throughput
P : Maximum delivery probability
Cases with two letters, e.g. 'PA', mean when a bitrate is both the i-th highest in throughput and the one with the maximum delivery probability.
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
edited Dec 2 at 18:21
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
answered Dec 2 at 17:51
fortune_pickle
164
164
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1
"didn't check the source code" So go check the source code.
– DavidPostill♦
Dec 2 at 17:27
1
@DavidPostill I thought it would be more difficult to find the answer in the code since I'm not familiar with browsing Linux kernel's code. Nevertheless, I've followed your advice and found the answer. I've answered my own question, since this may be useful to others.
– fortune_pickle
Dec 2 at 17:54