In this paper we present a brief review of existing technologies to organize wireless communication networks. The existing approaches to determine and calculate reliability of such networks are explored. We pay attention to how disunited the existing approaches are, how insufficiently formalized they are when one chooses a calculation method. We also narrow down a class of systems for which the existing methods are applicable. Modern communication networks are characterized by complex architectural solutions, unification of various technologies, instabilities, structures that are mobile in space and time. These features require a comprehensive, systematic approach to solve the problems of calculating the reliability indicators, the approach that will allow us to take into account the most essential features of real life systems.