Comparative Analysis of Medium Access Control Protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks

The new age technologies like Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems for development of smart sensors, small transceivers and lowpriced hardware are fueling increased interest in Wireless Sensor Networks. Functioning of Wireless Sensor Networks is distributed across nodes and there is no fixed infrastructure control. This in turn requires carefully designed Medium Access Control layer protocols. This paper surveys, classifies, simulates using Network Simulator NS2 and analyzes well referred Medium Access Control layer protocols namely IEEE 802.11, SMAC, D-MAC, ATMA and Z-MAC for Wireless Sensor Networks. The quantitative and qualitative metrics presented for comparison framework can be used to analyze tradeoffs produced by different Medium Access Control design approaches. They can be design guidelines for Wireless Sensor Networks Medium Access Control layer protocols.