Multi-Fractal Characteristics of Mobile Node’s Traffic in Wireless Mesh Network with AODV and DSDV Routing Protocols

The analysis of traffic characteristics can be used for performance evaluation, design and implementation of routing protocols in WMNs (Wireless Mesh Networks). Higher bursty traffic will cause larger queue size, which means more dropping packets, and thus affects other metrics. Because burstiness can be modeled by multi-fractal characteristics effectively, multi-fractal characteristics of mobile node’s traffic in WMNs are analyzed with typical proactive and reactive routing protocols, which are DSDV (Destination Sequenced Distance Vector) and AODV (Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector), respectively. Three types of traffic models are used to generate traffic at application level, which corresponding to open-loop and closed-loop scenarios. With different configurations, the probability distribution of inter-arrival time and multi-fractal characteristics of traffic at mobile node and gateway are analyzed with DSDV and AODV protocols. Results show that inter-arrival time with AODV and DSDV protocols possesses heavy-tailed property. And traffic with DSDV protocol exhibits more multi-fractal characteristics than that with AODV protocol, which can explain the higher routing performance of AODV.