Efficient data propagation techniques and security concerns in low rate wireless personal area networks in outdoor and indoor scenarios

In order to establish reliable data transmissions in wireless networks inside buildings and outside, all the factors that influence the signal propagation must be considered. The evaluation of the link quality is possible with the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and the link quality indicator (LQI). The link quality measurements were performed in different scenarios between two ZigBee devices. Depending on the results, the network was optimized in order to have efficient data propagation. LQI measurements can also be used for determining the distance between nodes, and the algorithms described in the paper can determine the coordinates of a central node when the neighbour nodes´ position is known. It is possible to estimate the position of an important node in real-time, and therefore address the security concerns within a wireless network.