A stochastic model for beaconless IEEE 802.15.4 MAC operation

IEEE 802.15.4 is a popular choice for MAC/PHY protocols in low power and low data rate wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we develop a stochastic model for the beaconless operation of IEEE 802.15.4 MAC protocol. Given the number of nodes competing for channel access and their packet generation rates, the model predicts the packet loss probability and the packet latency. The model can also account for the impact of hidden nodes in certain situations. We compared the model predictions with NS2 simulation results and found an excellent match between the two for a wide range of the packet generation rates and the number of competing nodes in the network.