Multi-Hop versus Overlay Networks: A Realistic Comparison Based on Energy Requirements and Latency

This paper compares the energy and time needed to convey one information unit from source to destination using multi hop networks versus overlay networks. For a set of realistic parameters the paper will show that multi hopping with more than 50 relays will need more time than the overlay network and with respect of energy the usage of more than 6 relays is using more energy than the overlay network. The paper underlines the importance of the idle power value for such calculations.