Link layer measurements in sensor networks

Key issues in wireless sensor networks such as data aggregation, localisation, MAC protocols and routing, all have to do with communication at some level. At a low level, these are influenced by the link layer performance between two nodes. The lack of accurate sensor network specific radio models, and the limited experimental data on actual link behaviour warrant additional investigation in this area. We present the results from extensive experiments, exploring several factors that are relevant for the link layer performance. These include (i) the effect of interference from simultaneous transmissions, which has not been looked into before, (ii) the degree of symmetry in the links between nodes, and (iii) the use of calibrated RSSI measurements. Finally, we present some guidelines on how to use the results for effective protocol design.