Statistical analysis of quality measures for mobile ad hoc networks

Abstract

How can the quality of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) be quantified? This work aims at an answer based on the lower network layers, i.e. on connectivity between the wireless nodes, using statistical methods. A number of different quality measures are introduced and classified according to their scaling behaviour. They are analysed in a statistical model of a 1-dimensional MANET system (corresponding e.g. to cars on a road). Neglecting boundary effects, the model turns out to be exactly solvable, so that explicit analytical results for the quality levels can be obtained both at fixed system size and in the limit of large systems. In particular, this improves estimates known in the literature for the probability of connectedness of 1-dimensional MANETs.