Balancing Selfishness and Efficiency in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks: An Agent-based Simulation

We study wireless ad-hoc networks from an agent-based perspective. In our model agents with different strategies such as being selfish, tit-for-tat or battery-based compete and cooperate. If only different levels of selfishness are allowed then being selfish is clearly the dominant strategy. However, introduction of more advanced strategies allows to some extent to combat selfishness. In particular we present a battery-based approach and a hybrid of battery-based and tit-for-tat approaches. The findings give hope that the introduction of widely available ad-hoc networks might at some point be possible. Even when users are given full control of their devices, effective strategies allow for the networks overall to be effective and feasible.