Data Link Layer Effect over Swarm Underwater Network Performance

The Underwater Swarm is a particular Underwater Network configuration characterized by nodes very close one to each other, with mobility capability. This type of network raises challenges for its effective design and development, for which the only use of acoustic communication as traditionally suggested in underwater communication could be not enough. A new emerging solution could be a hybrid solution that combines the use of acoustic and optical channel in order to overcome the acoustic channel limitations in underwater environment. In this work we want to investigate how the acoustic and optical communications influence the Underwater Swarm performance by considering the Data Link Layer effects over the two different propagation technologies. Performance simulations have been carried out to suggest how a new Underwater Swarm based on hybrid communication technology could be designed.