Distributed Algorithm for Energy Efficient Multicasting in Wireless Adhoc Networks

On wireless computer networks, ad-hoc mode is a method for wireless devices to directly communicate with each other. Operating in ad-hoc mode allows all wireless devices within range of each other to discover and communicate in peer-to-peer fashion without involving central access points (including those built in to broadband wireless routers). An ad-hoc network tends to feature a small group of devices all in very close proximity to each other. Performance suffers as the number of devices grows, and a large ad-hoc network quickly becomes difficult to manage. Nevertheless, as electronic devices are getting smaller, cheaper, and more powerful, the mobile market is rapidly growing and, as a consequence, the need of seamlessly internetworking people and devices becomes mandatory. The problem area is availability of limited energy at nodes of a wireless ad hoc network (WANET) has an impact on the design of multicast protocols. For example, the set of network links and their capacities in WANETs are not predetermined but depends on factors such as distance between nodes, transmission power, hardware implementation and environmental noise. This survey paper presents an overview of issues related to energy efficiency in distributed network and any further possibilities of improvement.