The reliability and failure rate of evaluating the lifetime extension of Ad Hoc and wireless sensor networks, are analyzed based on a probabilistic network model that assigns a failure probability from each sensor to each target zone, and when sensors are grouped in subsets, network lifetime is extended since redundancy of energizing the sensors is avoided. Theoretical formulation of reliability and failure rates of a model made of parallel sensors covering series targets, is performed, using different probability density functions (PDF) describing the performance reliability of sensors over time. The selection of the extended network lifetime depends on its reliability evaluation, which is induced as a proportionality coefficient for updating lifetime extension by adjusting the contribution of sensors energizing in cyclic time slots. Reliability is reduced with lifetime extension, but both can be increased when the number of sensors is larger than the targeted zones.