A thorough analysis of the performance of delay distribution models for IEEE 802.11 DCF

International audienceDeriving the complete distribution of the end-to-end delay in a wireless multi-hop network is of paramount interest when delay-sensitive flows have to be conveyed over such networks. First works have proposed models to derive the total delay distribution of networks assuming the well-known IEEE802.11 DCF medium access (MAC) protocol. Current derivations can be decomposed into two main steps: (i) the calculation of the total delay probability generating function (PGF) and (ii) its numerical inversion. We show in this paper that there is a need for a thorough performance evaluation of these models since both steps introduce errors, naming modeling and inversion errors. We argue that both types of errors have to be analyzed separately to characterize the accuracy of the analytical derivations of the literature. Therefore, this paper defines two performance evaluation metrics that measure the magnitude of both types of errors. Both metrics are illustrated to select and optimize the most accurate model to calculate the single-hop end-to-end delay distribution of nodes using the IEEE802.11 DCF MAC protocol. The most accurate model is extended to calculate the end-to-end delay distribution for a 2-hop wireless communication

Special issue on “Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks”

A primary aim of wireless ad-hoc networks is to deliver data in areas where there is no pre-defined infrastructure. In these networks, the users, but also the network entities can be potentially mobile. Wireless ad-hoc networks have recently witnessed their fastest growth period ever in history. Real wireless ad-hoc networks are now implemented, deployed and tested, and this trend is likely to increase in the future. However, as such networks are increasingly complex, performance modeling and evaluation play a crucial part in their design process to ensure their successful deployment and exploitation in practice. This special issue on Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks aims to open a new critical debate on the evaluation of wireless ad-hoc networks. It includes original theoretical and/or practical contributions, from researchers and practitioners that identify and address issues in evaluating wireless ad-hoc networks.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft