The quickly growing demand for wireless networks and the numerous application-specific requirements stand in stark contrast to today’s inflexible management and operation of WiFi networks. In this paper, we present and evaluate OPENSDWN, a novel WiFi architecture based on an SDN/NFV approach. OPENSDWN exploits datapath programmability to enable service differentiation and fine-grained transmission control, facilitating the prioritization of critical applications. OPENSDWN implements per-client virtual access points and per-client virtual middleboxes, to render network functions more flexible and support mobility and seamless migration. OPENSDWN can also be used to out-source the control over the home network to a participatory interface or to an Internet Service Provider.

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