In this paper we analyze empirically the performance of several protocols for a random model of sensor networks that communicate
through optical links. We provide experimental evidence of the basic parameters and of the performance of the distributed
protocols described and analyzed under assymptotic assumptions in [3] for relatively small random networks (1000 to 15000 sensors).
Work partially supported by the IST Programme of the EU under contract number IST-2001-33116 (FLAGS) and by the Spanish CICYT
project TIC-2001-4917-E.