Parameter assignment for improved connectivity and security in randomly deployed wireless sensor networks via hybrid omni/uni-directional antennas

Abstract

Conguring a network system to operate at optimal levels of performance re-quires a comprehensive understanding of the eects of a variety of system parameterson crucial metrics like connectivity and resilience to network attacks. Traditionally,omni-directional antennas have been used for communication in wireless sensor net-works. In this thesis, a hybrid communication model is presented where-in, nodes ina network are capable of both omni-directional and uni-directional communication.The eect of such a model on performance in randomly deployed wireless sensor net-works is studied, specically looking at the eect of a variety of network parameterson network performance.The work in this thesis demonstrates that, when the hybrid communication modelis employed, the probability of 100% connectivity improves by almost 90% and thatof k-connectivity improves by almost 80% even at low node densities when comparedto the traditional omni-directional model. In terms of network security, it was foundthat the hybrid approach improves network resilience to the collision attack by almost85% and the cost of launching a successful network partition attack was increased byas high as 600%. The gains in connectivity and resilience were found to improve withincreasing node densities and decreasing antenna beamwidths.