A network-based method for managing adaptive streaming resources in a hetnet cable Wi-Fi network, the method comprising: determining an application fairness index defining a medium usage for each flow in a flow group, wherein the application fairness index for each flow is a function of the medium usage of other flows in the flow group in a same session; determining a resource margin for a service area associated with the session, wherein a service area includes a plurality of clients, and wherein the resource margin is a measurement determined for the service area based on bandwidth at both a network location and at least one Wi-Fi component in a session path corresponding to the session; receiving an adaptive bit rate streaming request from a client in the service area, wherein the request is indicative of a requesting client's link quality; determining whether to accept the adaptive bit rate streaming request based on the application fairness index whether the margin is below a margin threshold, wherein responsive to an acceptance of the adaptive bit rate streaming request in some cases, adjusting a rate for at least one flow in the flow group, and, based on the adjusted rate, updating (408; 410; 416; 508) the application fairness index for each flow in the flow group and updating the margin for the service area, and wherein the fairness index is adjusted based on the margin threshold in other cases, but adjustment to the bit rate is not made based upon acceptance of the adaptive bit rate streaming request; and responsive to a rejection of the adaptive bit rate streaming request, maintaining the application fairness index and margins for the flow group. determining an application fairness index defining a medium usage for each flow in a flow group, wherein the application fairness index for each flow is a function of the medium usage of other flows in the flow group in a same session; determining a resource margin for a service area associated with the session, wherein a service area includes a plurality of clients, and wherein the resource margin is a measurement determined for the service area based on bandwidth at both a network location and at least one Wi-Fi component in a session path corresponding to the session; receiving an adaptive bit rate streaming request from a client in the service area, wherein the request is indicative of a requesting client's link quality; determining whether to accept the adaptive bit rate streaming request based on the application fairness index whether the margin is below a margin threshold, wherein responsive to an acceptance of the adaptive bit rate streaming request in some cases, adjusting a rate for at least one flow in the flow group, and, based on the adjusted rate, updating (408; 410; 416; 508) the application fairness index for each flow in the flow group and updating the margin for the service area, and wherein the fairness index is adjusted based on the margin threshold in other cases, but adjustment to the bit rate is not made based upon acceptance of the adaptive bit rate streaming request; and responsive to a rejection of the adaptive bit rate streaming request, maintaining the application fairness index and margins for the flow group.