<span>The wireless sensor network (WSN) is a decentralized network that allows sensor nodes to freely join and quit the network, making it a unique network type that varies from centralized systems in which the fusion center decides on entry and exit. However, one of the key drawbacks of these networks is that the sensor nodes are small and located in remote areas. As a result, energy usage must be efficiently managed. In order to limit energy consumption, an efficient clustering protocol approach is necessary, which may be performed by dividing the networks into clusters and selecting cluster heads depending on the remaining energy and sensor distance. The energy hole problem has an impact on the performance of an energy-efficient technique. As a result, this work aims to extend the lifespan of WSNs, the goal of this research is to make the cluster to normal ratio (CTNR) Protocol better. Data forwarding nodes are added to the CTNR protocol hierarchy to enable hopping and avoid consuming nodes in order to solve the energy hole problem (sink). The proposed method is implemented in Matlab, and the results are compared to literature on energy usage and the amount of dead and living nodes. In terms of the performance indicators given, the results reveal that our proposed scheme beat others.</span>