Synchronization effects in mobile ad hoc networks

This paper illustrates how networking protocols can inadvertently exacerbate obstacles to providing real-time guarantees for distributed problem solving in wireless mobile and sensor networks. We analyze the effects of control packet timing on providing quality of service guarantees. Inappropriate timing of control packets gives rise to synchronizations that result in sharp increases and decreases in throughput with small changes in node speed. Such synchronizations can seriously jeopardize network performance with direct effect on real-time guarantees. This paper introduces these synchronizations, analyzes them and suggests ways to modify the control packet timing to overcome them. These analyses include investigating the role of buffering at the network layer and its impact on network throughput. We analyze these effects and evaluate our protocol enhancements through simulation studies.