Network Coding: Opportunistic Routing and Coding

This lecture introduces the concept of network coding, focusing on opportunistic routing and coding. It explains how nodes can exploit the broadcast nature of wireless networks to send random linear combinations of packets, reducing the number of transmissions needed to deliver data. The instructor discusses protocols like XOR and MORE, which leverage network coding to improve throughput and efficiency in wireless communication. The lecture also covers intra-flow and inter-flow network coding, demonstrating how nodes can optimize packet delivery by XORing packets between different source-destination pairs. Through examples and explanations, the lecture highlights the benefits and challenges of network coding in wireless networks.