  In this paper, we identify and analyze the requirements to design a new
routing link metric for wireless multihop networks. Considering these
requirements, when a link metric is proposed, then both the design and
implementation of the link metric with a routing protocol become easy.
Secondly, the underlying network issues can easily be tackled. Thirdly, an
appreciable performance of the network is guaranteed. Along with the existing
implementation of three link metrics Expected Transmission Count (ETX), Minimum
Delay (MD), and Minimum Loss (ML), we implement inverse ETX; invETX with
Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) using NS-2.34. The simulation results show
that how the computational burden of a metric degrades the performance of the
respective protocol and how a metric has to trade-off between different
performance parameters.
