Comparing the ns-3 Propagation Models

Abstract

An important aspect of any network simulation that models wireless networks is the design and implementation of the Propagation Loss Model. The propagation loss model is used to determine the wireless signal strength at the set of receivers for any packet being transmitted by a single transmitter. There are a number of different ways to model this phenomenon, and these vary both in terms of computational complexity and in the measured performance of the wireless network being modeled. In fact, the ns -- 3 simulator presently has 11 different loss models included in the simulator library. We performed a detailed study of these models, comparing their overall performance both in terms of the computational complexity of the algorithms, as well as the measured performance of the wireless network being simulated. The results of these simulation experiments are reported and discussed. Not surprisingly, we observed considerable variation in both metrics.