Carrier-sense multiple access with collision avoidance

Carrier-sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) in computer networking, is a link layer multiple access method in which carrier sensing is used. Under CSMA/CA, nodes attempt to avoid collisions by beginning transmission only after the channel is sensed to have no traffic.^[1]^[2] When they do transmit, nodes transmit frames in their entirety.

This technique is primarily used in wireless networks, where the alternative with collision detection CSMA/CD is not possible due to wireless transmitters de-sensing (turning off) their receivers during packet transmission.

CSMA/CA is unreliable due to the hidden node problem.^[3]^[4]

^ "Federal Standard 1037C". Its.bldrdoc.gov. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
^ "American National Standard T1.523-2001, Telecom Glossary 2000". Atis.org. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
^ "Study of different CSMA/CA IEEE 802.11-based implementations, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
^ Viral V. Kapadia; Sudarshan N. Patel; Rutvij H. Jhaveri (2010). "Comparative study of hidden node problem and solution using different techniques and protocols, Journal of Computing". arXiv:1003.4070 [cs.NI].

[federalstandard-1] "Federal Standard 1037C". Its.bldrdoc.gov. Retrieved 2012-09-09.

[atis-2] "American National Standard T1.523-2001, Telecom Glossary 2000". Atis.org. Archived from the original on 2008-03-02. Retrieved 2012-09-09.

[3] "Study of different CSMA/CA IEEE 802.11-based implementations, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-06. Retrieved 2012-09-09.

[eunice-4] Viral V. Kapadia; Sudarshan N. Patel; Rutvij H. Jhaveri (2010). "Comparative study of hidden node problem and solution using different techniques and protocols, Journal of Computing". arXiv:1003.4070 [cs.NI].

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