  We conduct the most comprehensive study of WLAN traces to date. Measurements
collected from four major university campuses are analyzed with the aim of
developing fundamental understanding of realistic user behavior in wireless
networks. Both individual user and inter-node (group) behaviors are
investigated and two classes of metrics are devised to capture the underlying
structure of such behaviors.
  For individual user behavior we observe distinct patterns in which most users
are 'on' for a small fraction of the time, the number of access points visited
is very small and the overall on-line user mobility is quite low. We clearly
identify categories of heavy and light users. In general, users exhibit high
degree of similarity over days and weeks.
  For group behavior, we define metrics for encounter patterns and friendship.
Surprisingly, we find that a user, on average, encounters less than 6% of the
network user population within a month, and that encounter and friendship
relations are highly asymmetric. We establish that number of encounters follows
a biPareto distribution, while friendship indexes follow an exponential
distribution. We capture the encounter graph using a small world model, the
characteristics of which reach steady state after only one day.
  We hope for our study to have a great impact on realistic modeling of network
usage and mobility patterns in wireless networks.
