Broadcast performance analysis of IEEE 802.11 networks under fading channels

With increasing applications of IEEE 802.11 network broadcast service in vehicular safety systems, the ability to analytically model the performance of such services under realistic fading channel conditions plays a key role in the analysis and design of vehicular safety systems. In this paper, we develop an analytical model to evaluate the broadcast service performance of two dimensional IEEE 802.11 networks under Rayleigh fading condition and unsaturated data traffic. Expressions on broadcast performance indices such as packet reception rate and pernode throughput are provided. The simulated results validate the proposed model. Based on the proposed model, we also study how network parameters such as node density, packet arrival rate and carrier sensing threshold value affect the broadcast performance.