IEEE 802.11: Multiple access
- Avoid collisions: two or more nodes transmitting at same time
- 802.11: CSMA - sense before transmitting
- Don’t collide with ongoing transmission by other node
- 802.11: no collision detection!
- Difficult to receive (sense collisions) when transmitting due to weak received signals (fading)
- Can’t sense all collisions in any case: hidden terminal, fading
- Goal: avoid collisions: CSMA/C(ollision)A(voidance)