Performance Comparison of Routing Protocols in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract

A Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is basically a collection or group of wireless nodes that can move arbitrarily and can form a dynamic network without the need of an existing infrastructure or we can say a centralized management unit. MANET is configured automatically and the topology of the network changes as the node are mobile, and therefore tend to organize themselves in an arbitrary fashion. MANET is quite easily deployed and hence, finds a widespread use in Military and Civilian Applications. Nodes interact with each other using multi hop wireless links, which allows this network to have a range of transmissions extended towards infinite. In MANET every node can also act like a router. Routing Protocols are the rules which basically control the transmission of packets in any network, in MANET too, the transmission of information between the constantly moving nodes is managed and controlled using routing protocols. The main use of these routing protocols is in finding and discovering new routes and paths from source to destination. It is interesting to note that MANET can easily be installed and deployed in so many situations and areas where it might be impossible to make use of a traditional network. But it should also be noted that this also poses many difficulties in such a network, which may pertain to shared medium, limitations on transmission range, mobility of nodes or energy constraints placed in MANET. Routing’s role plays an important one in management of MANET, it’s because of the mobility of the nodes and topological changes with it. Performance of any routing protocol in such an environment is majorly effected by the mobility and the mobility model used in MANET and its simulation