A R E V I E W O N C O L L I S I O N AV O I D A N C E

MECHANISM OF RANDOM ACCESS

TECHNIQUES
I N W I R E L E S S C O M M U N I C AT I O N

BY

Ahmad B Usman (ENG/17/TEL/00241)

Department of Telecommunication
Bayero University Kano (BUK)
 C O L L I S I O N I N C O M M U N I C AT I O N

Let’s say we have three different computers ABC on the same

network. If computer A was talking to B and suddenly C transfers
data to A, then collision occur, the original message from A to B
becomes disturbed and not useful anymore because there is
interference.
 COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The concept works in such a way that when, C before it start

sending data to A, it tries to analyze if there is a conversation going
on already between other device on the networks before it sends.
This new technology, not only help to avoid collisions but also
respond correctly if a collision does occur and it’s called carrier
sense multiple access collision detection (CSMA/CD).
CSMA/CD
 CSMA/CA

With the emergence of wireless technology, carrier sense multiple

access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) method is now used.

this is the access method that is used for carrier transmission in

wireless networks. When a device wants to send data on a wireless
network, it cannot hear if there is any collision on the network
because there is no cable involved, instead it will sense if there is
any transmission happening.
 RTS/CTS

Another method that CSMA/CA uses to avoid collisions is the

optional RTS/CTS protocol which stands for ‘Ready To Send/Clear
To Tend’. This is a n optional protocol that is used with CSMA/CA
on wireless networks.
CSMA/CA
CSMA/CD VS CSMA/CA
 RT S / C T S B E N E F I T S A N D
D R AW B A C K S

The main goal of the RTS/CTS handshake is to combat the hidden

node problem. While the RTS and the CTS frames are themselves
still subject to collisions, the overhead incurred by an RTS or CTS
collision is usually much lower than a data retransmission,
especially for very long data frames, which has become a common
trend in recent applications.
 HIDDEN NODE

In wireless networking, the hidden node problem or hidden

terminal problem occurs when a node can communicate with a
wireless access point (AP), but cannot directly communicate with
other nodes that are communicating with that AP.
HIDDEN NODE PROBLEM
EXPOSED NODE PROBLEM
 DRAWBACKS

 RTS/CTS collisions: In crowded areas, where hidden terminals

are prevalent, the RTS/CTS handshake is less effective as a
collision avoidance technique. This is because RTS and CTS
frames are themselves subject to collision in the same way as
data frames. When the traffic load is heavy and the number of
hidden terminals is high, the chance of unsuccessful RTS/CTS
handshake increases due to higher channel
Blocking non-interfering parallel transmission and False
Blocking: RTS/ CTS may block concurrent transmissions from
other nodes that would not result in collisions. The RTS may block
nodes within the sender’s transmission range from transmitting
even if their transmission would not interfere with the RTS
sender’s transmission. Similarly, the CTS may block nodes that
receive it from receiving from other nodes.
A D VA N TA G E O F C O L L I S I O N AV O I D A N C E

 Improved network efficiency: Collision avoidance helps to reduce the risk of

data collisions, which can cause network congestion and slow down data
transmission.
 Reduced data errors: Data collisions can lead to data errors and packet loss.
Collision avoidance helps to reduce these errors by ensuring that data is
transmitted in a controlled manner.
 Fairness: Collision avoidance protocols like CSMA/CA ensure that all devices
have an equal opportunity to transmit data, regardless of their position in the
network.
 D I S A D VA N TA G E O F C O L L I S I O N
AV O I D A N C E

Complexity: Implementing collision avoidance protocols can be complex

and require additional hardware and software resources.
Limited scalability: Collision avoidance protocols like CSMA/CA may not
scale well in larger networks with many devices. As the number of devices
increases, the likelihood of collisions also increases, leading to decreased
network efficiency.
Increased latency: Collision avoidance protocols like CSMA/CA introduce
latency into the network, as devices have to wait for their turn to transmit data.