2010/07/29 by Soung Chang Liew, Liew, Soung Chang, Jialiang Zhang +5 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Engineering · #Advanced Wireless Network Optimization #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Mobile Ad Hoc Networks #Networking and Internet Architecture (cs.NI) #Wireless Networks and Protocols #cs.NI
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1007.5255
arxiv created 2010/07/29 · openalex publication_date 2010/07/29 · arxiv updated 2010/07/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
This paper proposes and analyzes the performance of a simple frequency-agile CSMA MAC protocol. In this MAC, a node carrier-senses multiple frequency channels simultaneously, and it takes the first opportunity to transmit on any one of the channels when allowed by the CSMA backoff mechanism. We show that the frequency-agile MAC can effectively 1) boost throughput and 2) remove temporal starvation. Furthermore, the MAC can be implemented on the existing multiple-frequency setup in Wi-Fi using multi-radio technology, and it can co-exist with the legacy MAC using single radio. This paper provides exact stationary throughput analysis for regular 1D and thin-strip 2D CSMA networks using a "transfer-matrix" approach. In addition, accurate approximations are given for 2D grid networks. Our closed-form formulas accurately quantify the throughput gain of frequency-agile CSMA. To characterize temporal starvation, we use the metric of "mean residual access time" (MRAT). Our simulations and closed-form approximations indicate that the frequency-agile MAC can totally eliminate temporal starvation in 2D grid networks, reducing its MRAT by orders of magnitude. Finally, this paper presents a "coloring theorem" to justify the use of the frequency-agile MAC in general network topologies. Our analysis and theorem suggest that with enough frequency channels, the frequency-agile MAC can effectively decouple the detrimental interactions between neighboring links responsible for low throughput and starvation.