Optimization Models for Streaming in Multihop Wireless Networks

Wireless spectrum is a scare resource, while media streaming usually requires high end-to-end bandwidth. Media streaming in wireless ad hoc networks is therefore a particularly challenging problem, especially for the case of streaming to multiple receivers. In this paper, we design linear optimization models for computing a high-bandwidth routing strategy for media multicast in wireless networks, which targets near-optimal throughput, given constraints including network topology, radio capacity, and link contention. We study both the directional antenna and omni-directional antenna cases and point out their connections. We also combine the classic forward error correction techniques with the novel network coding techniques to provide error control in a timely fashion. Simulation results show that our solutions indeed achieve high streaming rates, and prompt error recovery under a wide range of link failure patterns.