On the connectivity of ad hoc networks: The role of the power level distribution

In this work we investigate the connectivity properties of ad hoc networks with stations (also called nodes) transmitting at either a constant or random power. It is assumed that the random power is uniformly distributed with a mean value equal to the constant power. Two nodes are bidirectionally connected if the signal to noise plus interference ratio (SINR) is larger than a given threshold. A numerical study is performed to evaluate the connectivity of the network in terms of node density and interference level. It is found that al low node densities connectivity increases when node transmitt at a constant power. In constrast, at high node densities the better connectivity is obtained when nodes transmitt at a random power.