• Levente Mészáros (levente.meszaros@omnest.com), OpenSim Ltd. (Hungary), OMNeT++/INET Framework Senior Software Engineer
• András Varga (andras@omnetpp.org), OpenSim Ltd. (Hungary), Chief Technology Officer

About the tutorial:

OMNeT++ is an extensible, modular, component-based C++ simulation library and framework, primarily for building network simulators. OMNeT++ offers an Eclipse-based IDE, a graphical runtime environment, and a host of other tools. There are extensions for real-time simulation, network emulation, database integration, SystemC integration, and several other functions.

INET is an open-source model suite that extends OMNeT++ for simulating wired, wireless, ad hoc, and sensor networks, along with a broad range of protocols (e.g., TCP, UDP, IPv4/IPv6, Ethernet, Wi-Fi). It includes modular protocol stacks, mobility models, and support for various routing protocols, providing a ready-to-use library of network elements that can be combined to form complex network simulations.

This tutorial will give an introduction to simulating Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) technologies using the OMNeT++ discrete event simulator and the INET Framework model library. Participants will learn OMNeT++ simulation concepts, how the INET Framework supports network protocol and traffic modeling. Key TSN scenarios will be demonstrated through illustrative examples using the simulation environment.

Tutorial outline:

1. Introduction to OMNeT++ simulation

• Overview of OMNeT++ simulation concepts
• Overview of the INET Framework as the main model library

2. Time-Sensitive Networking Use Cases

• Cut-through switching
• Frame preemption
• Scheduling and traffic shaping
• Per-stream filtering and policing
• Automatic gate schedule configuration
• Time synchronization
• Frame replication and elimination for reliability

Expected outcome/ learning goal:

Participants will gain a practical understanding of how to model and evaluate key TSN mechanisms in OMNeT++/INET Framework. They will learn to build TSN networks, configure TSN specific parameters, and interpret simulation results to assess performance and reliability. By the end of this tutorial, attendees should feel confident building TSN simulations and using the results to guide design and implementation decisions.

Expected audience:

Researchers, graduate students, and industry practitioners interested in evaluating TSN solutions. Understanding of computer networking concepts is assumed, but no prior TSN and OMNeT++/INET Framework experience is required.

Duration: 90 min

• Xianjun Jiao, Jetmir Haxhibeqiri, & Pablo Esteban Avila Campos
• imec, IDLab Ghent University, Belgium

About the tutorial:

Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) has been a transformative technology driving the evolution of factory communication by providing deterministic and highly reliable communications. Although TSN was originally designed for use with Ethernet-based wired networks, in recent years, both academia and industry have made significant efforts to enable time-sensitive networking for wireless communications. The primary candidate technologies for deterministic wireless communications are cellular technology (5G/6G) and IEEE 802.11, also known as Wi-Fi. Both technologies have incorporated features in their latest generations that can facilitate deterministic communication over wireless networks.

Focusing on utilizing Wi-Fi for deterministic communication, one major hindrance to future wireless TSN innovation is the lack of openness in Wi-Fi chip design and the absence of interfaces to interact with low-level Wi-Fi features. To overcome this limitation, openwifi, the first Linux-compatible, open-source soft-MAC Wi-Fi chip design, offers an open architecture for both physical and MAC layers. The first version of openwifi was released in 2019 and is maintained by IDLab, imec, and Ghent University.

This tutorial will begin with a brief introduction to the evolution of Wi-Fi standards. Next, we will introduce the fundamental principles of Wi-Fi chip design and the openwifi architecture at both physical and MAC layers. The power of an open design enables dedicated features related to wireless time-sensitive networking, as well as Wi-Fi features still under standardization. We will discuss openwifi's unique time-sensitive networking features, such as high-accuracy time synchronization (<50ns), time-triggered gating and packet scheduling, and time-based channel access parameter updates. Each feature will be described with results from real test-bed measurements.

In the second part of the tutorial, we will delve deeper into the challenges of wireless environments for deterministic communication and demonstrate how each openwifi feature overcomes these challenges (e.g., shared medium, slow handovers, traffic initiation, and node bootstrapping). We will provide detailed explanations of how we have implemented deterministic node bootstrapping mechanisms and fast, deterministic handovers using openwifi. Each solution will be backed by both simulated and real measurements from the openwifi testbed. Additionally, we will share our experience in integrating Wi-Fi and wired TSN for wireless-wired end-to-end deterministic networking.

The final session will feature a demo session where various demonstrations will showcase the utilization of W-TSN for different industrial communication applications, followed by an open discussion with the audience.

Tutorial outline:

The tutorial will be composed of three parts of 45 minutes. The first two sessions will include two presentations related to the development and features of openwifi and its usage of enabling time-sensitive networking in wireless domain. The last session is dedicated to demos and hands-on experience for the audience. The topics to be covered during this session will include, but not limited to:

• Brief introduction of Wi-Fi standard and its evolution

• How a Wi-Fi chip run internally: openwifi design

• An overview of openwifi’s special capabilities (sensing, accurate time synchronization, time-based gating mechanism, scheduling, time-based channel access parameter control)

• Deterministic node bootstrapping solution powered by openwifi 

• Fast and deterministic handover in W-TSN 

• New Wi-Fi features that can enable determinism in Wi-Fi: C-SR and R-TWT

• Demos

• Discussion

Expected outcome/ learning goal: What can the audience expect from the tutorial? 

After attending this tutorial, the audience would become familiar with openwifi, the first opensource implementation of Wi-Fi and how the platform can be used for W-TSN innovation. The following learning outcomes are expected:

• In-depth knowledge/understanding of how Wi-Fi chip runs internally

• How to customize your own “Wi-Fi chip” for special applications, such as Wi-Fi sensing, TSN, etc...

• The audience will grasp the challenges of bringing time sensitive networking to Wi-Fi

• The audience will get into details of implementation of basic time sensitive features in openwifi: time synchronization, scheduling, management and monitoring

• The audience will get into details regarding time-sensitive node bootstraping and handover utilizing openwifi

• Perspectives of upcoming features (e.g. C-SR, R-TWT) 

• The audience will get informed for several use case scenarios for industrial communication where openwifi W-TSN can be used

Expected audience:

Background in wireless communication is expected. For W-TSN and other TSN related topics we will start from simple scenarios. The expected audience is expected from this expertises:

• Wireless networking researcher (MAC procotol,etc.)

• Digital Signal Processing design for real system/chip (PHY, RF, etc.)

• Wireless system developer (for special/industrial/conferencing applications)

• Low level (PHY and MAC) researcher and developer

• (W-)TSN system researchers and developers

• (W-)TSN system integrators

Duration: 3 units of 45 min 

• 45 min: From Wi-Fi to openwifi: an opensource Wi-Fi chip

• 45min: Wireless Time Sensitive Networking utilizing openwifi

• 45min: Demos and discussions