Ad Hoc Wireless Media

Access Protocols

Mikko Raatikainen, TiTe 5

 Ad Hoc Wireless
Media Access Protocols

MAC Protocols
• protocol to use shared medium
• sender node sends to shared medium
• receiver node receives current transmission
• concerned with per-link connections (not end-to-
end)
• synchronous MAC protocols
• asynchronous MAC protocols
 Problems in channel access
Hidden Terminal Problem
• Two nodes transmit concurrently data to the
same receiver -> collision
• prevent by using control messages
(handshake protocol)
• RTS-CTS approach (request-to-send/clear-
to-send)
• problem: control message collision
 Problems in channel access
Exposed node problem
• overhearing data transmission from
neighboring nodes -> unable to transmit
• solution: separate control and data channels
or directional antennas
 MAC Initiation
Receiver-Initiated MAC protocols

• receiver informs sender that it is ready to receive

data
• no way of knowing for sure that sender has data to
send
• for example MACA-BI
 MAC Initiation
Sender-Initiated MAC protocols

• sender informs receiver it has data to send

• receiver confirms it is ready to receive
• 2 control messages: RTS-CTS
• for example MACA, MACAW
 Ad Hoc MAC Protocols
MACA (Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance)

• three-way handshake: RTS-CTS-Data

• power control features: geographic reuse of
channels
• no carrier sensing: control message
collisions
• on control message collision resend at
ramdom delay
 Ad Hoc MAC Protocols
MACA-BI (By Invitation)
• Receiver initiative two-way handshake:
RTR-Data (request-to receive)
• Less control messages -> less collisons,
reduced turn around time
• Does sender have data to send?
• Timeliness of invitation? add info on
transmitters backlog to each packet
• MACA features preserved
 Ad Hoc MAC Protocols
PAMAS (Power-Aware Multi-Access with Signalling)
• Based on MACA with separate signaling
channel for RTS-CTS –dialogue
• When receiving transfer, node sends busy
signal to signaling channel
• Power-off nodes when not receiving nor
transmitting
• When to power-up? Duration of power-off
affects on delay and performance
 Ad Hoc MAC Protocols
DBTMA (Dual Busy Tone Multiple Access)
• RTS-CTS approach
• Separate signaling and data channels
• When transmiting data, sends transmit busy
signal via signaling channel to neighbours
• When receiving data, sends receive busy
signal via signaling channel to neighbours
• Busy signal separated by in frequency
 Ad Hoc MAC Protocols
MARCH (Media Access with Reduced Handshake)
• Reduced RTS-CTS handshake
• Improves throughput by reducing control overhead
• Knowledge of data packet arrivals at neighboring
nodes by overhearing CTS packets
• RTS-CTS handshake is reduced to CTS-only after
the first hop (receiver initiative)
• Access to tables that maintain information on
routes the node participates in (no routing though)
• High performance