Throughput and delay analysis in an ad hoc wireless LAN using a token passing access method

Abstract

Research activities on wireless LANs, in particular the standardization work dealing with medium access methods (MAC sub-layer) give priority to CSMA principles. In this paper we are concerned with performance evaluation of a token passing access method applied to a wireless LAN without infrastructure (ad hoc network), composed of nomadic stations. Typically, in an ad hoc network, not all stations are within range of each other. Communications between hidden terminals make use of one or several relay nodes. The routing technique is based on using the local view which is specific to each station and updated thanks to observations made of the traffic ‘visible’ to each station. The study of the performances of such a network reveals a correlation between the throughput and end-to-end delay versus the mesh connectivity characteristics and the wealth of the knowledge of the local views. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.