  This book chapter introduces the use of Continuous Time Markov Networks
(CTMN) to analytically capture the operation of Carrier Sense Multiple Access
with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) networks. It is of tutorial nature, and it
aims to be an introduction on this topic, providing a clear and easy-to-follow
description. To illustrate how CTMN can be used, we introduce a set of
representative and cutting-edge scenarios, such as Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks
(VANETs), Power Line Communication networks and multiple overlapping Wireless
Local Area Networks (WLANs). For each scenario, we describe the specific CTMN,
obtain its stationary distribution and compute the throughput achieved by each
node in the network. Taking the per-node throughput as reference, we discuss
how the complex interactions between nodes using CSMA/CA have an impact on
system performance.
