A method for network-coded broadcast in an ad hoc network.

We present results on the performance of a network-coding based method for broadcast file delivery in an ad hoc network consisting of half-duplex packet radios. Our technique allows a receiver to exploit the broadcast nature of the wireless medium by overhearing packets sent by a node that is not necessarily one of the receiver's designated relays. Delivery of the file to the remote destinations is expedited by making efficient utilization of nodes that obtain the file from the source before the relay nodes obtain it. Nodes are not required to transmit multiple packets simultaneously or receive packets from multiple senders simultaneously. An adaptive modulation and channel coding protocol is used to mitigate the effects of fading and shadowing. Performance results are provided for two forms of network coding, fountain coding and random linear network coding.