Performance Analysis of Multipath Data Transport in Tactical Networks

Tactical networks possess path diversity that could be utilized for multipath data transmission among communicating entities in an extreme environment. In this paper, we apply the fluid flow model for multipath communication to an infrastructure-less mobile ad hoc network. Bianchi's [16] capacity formulation for IEEE802.11 Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) for basic access and virtual carrier sensing modes is used to compute link capacities of the network to facilitate fluid flow modeling. Two network topologies have been analyzed using the fluid model and upper bounds on the arrival rates of active flows and the capacity gains achievable using multipaths are presented.