An ad-hoc network is the cooperative engagement of a collection of mobile nodes without the required intervention of any centralized access point or existing infrastructure. In this paper we present Ad-hoc On Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV), a novel algorithm for the operation of such ad-hoc networks. Each Mobile Host operates as a specialized router, and routes are obtained as needed (i.e., on-demand) with little or no reliance on periodic advertisements. Our new routing algorithm is quite suitable for a dynamic selfstarting network, as required by users wishing to utilize ad-hoc networks. AODV provides loop-free routes even while repairing broken links. Because the protocol does not require global periodic routing advertisements, the demand on the overall bandwidth available to the mobile nodes is substantially less than in those protocols that do necessitate such advertisements. Nevertheless we can still maintain most of the advantages of basic distance-vector routing mechanisms. We show that our algorithm scales to large populations of mobile nodes wishing to form ad-hoc networks. We also include an evaluation methodology and simulation results to verify the operation of our algorithm.

karp @ eecs.harvard.edu We present Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR), a novel routing protocol for wireless datagram networks that uses the po-sitions of touters and a packer's destination to make packet for-warding decisions. GPSR makes greedy forwarding decisions us-ing only information about a router's immediate neighbors in the network topology. When a packet reaches a region where greedy forwarding is impossible, the algorithm recovers by routing around the perimeter of the region. By keeping state only about the local topology, GPSR scales better in per-router state than shortest-path and ad-hoc routing protocols as the number of network destinations increases. Under mobility's frequent topology changes, GPSR can use local topology information to find correct new routes quickly. We describe the GPSR protocol, and use extensive simulation of mobile wireless networks to compare its performance with that of Dynamic Source Routing. Our simulations demonstrate GPSR's scalability on densely deployed wireless networks.

An ad-hoc mobile network is a collection of mobile nodes that are dynamically and arbitrarily located in such a manner that the interconnections between nodes are capable of changing on a continual basis. In order to facilitate communication within the network, a routing protocol is used to discover routes between nodes. The primary goal of such an ad-hoc network routing protocol is correct and efficient route establishment between a pair of nodes so that messages may be delivered in a timely manner. Route construction should be done with a minimum of overhead and bandwidth consumption. This paper examines routing protocols for ad-hoc networks and evaluates these protocols based on a given set of parameters. The paper provides an overview of eight different protocols by presenting their characteristics and functionality, and then provides a comparison and discussion of their respective merits and drawbacks.

We introduce a geographical adaptive fidelity (GAF) algorithm that reduces energy consumption in ad hoc wireless networks. GAF conserves energy by identifying nodes that are equivalent from a routing perspective and then turning off unnecessary nodes, keeping a constant level of routing fidelity. GAF moderates this policy using application- and system-level information; nodes that source or sink data remain on and intermediate nodes monitor and balance energy use. GAF is independent of the underlying ad hoc routing protocol; we simulate GAF over unmodified AODV and DSR. Analysis and simulation studies of GAF show that it can consume 40% to 60% less energy than an unmodified ad hoc routing protocol. Moreover, simulations of GAF suggest that network lifetime increases proportionally to node density; in one example, a four-fold increase in node density leads to network lifetime increase for 3 to 6 times (depending on the mobility pattern). More generally, GAF is an example of adaptive fidelity, a technique proposed for extending the lifetime of self-configuring systems by exploiting redundancy to conserve energy while maintaining application fidelity.

A mobile ad hoc network consists of wireless hosts that may move often. Movement of hosts results in a change in routes, requiring some mechanism for determining new routes. Several routing protocols have already been proposed for ad hoc networks. This paper suggests an approach to utilize location information (for instance, obtained using the global positioning system) to improve performance of routing protocols for ad hoc networks. By using location information, the proposed Location-Aided Routing (LAR) protocols limit the search for a new route to a smaller “request zone ” of the ad hoc network. This results in a significant reduction in the number of routing messages. We present two algorithms to determine the request zone, and also suggest potential optimizations to our algorithms. 1

Over the past decade, mobile computing and wireless communication have become increasingly important drivers of many new computing applications. The eld of wireless sensor networks particularly focuses on applications involving autonomous use of compute, sensing, and wireless communication devices for both scienti c and commercial purposes. This paper examines the research decisions and design tradeos that arise when applying wireless peer-to-peer networking techniques in a mobile sensor network designed to support wildlife tracking for biology research.

Mobile ad hoc networks have gained a lot of attention lately as a means of providing continuous network connectivity to mobile computing devices regardless of physical location. Recently, a large amount of research has focused on the routing protocols needed in such an environment. In this two-part report, we investigate the effects that link breakage due to mobility has on TCP performance. Through simulation, we show that TCP throughput drops significantly when nodes move because of TCP's inability to recognize the difference between link failure and congestion. We also analyze specific examples, such as a situation where throughput is zero for a particular connection. We introduce a new metric, expected throughput, for the comparison of throughput in multi-hop networks, and then use this metric to show how the use of explicit link failure notification (ELFN) techniques can significantly improve TCP performance. In this paper (Part I of the report), we present the problem and an analysis of our simulation results. In Part II of this report, we present the simulation and results in detail.

Abstract — Ad hoc networks are characterized by multihop wireless connectivity, frequently changing network topology and the need for efficient dynamic routing protocols. We compare the performance of two prominent ondemand routing protocols for mobile ad hoc networks — Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) and Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV). A detailed simulation model with MAC and physical layer models is used to study interlayer interactions and their performance implications. We demonstrate that even though DSR and AODV share a similar on-demand behavior, the differences in the protocol mechanics can lead to significant performance differentials. The performance differentials are analyzed using varying network load, mobility and network size. Based on the observations, we make recommendations about how the performance of either protocol can be improved.

Advances in microsensor and radio technology will enable small but smart sensors to be deployed for a wide range of environmental monitoring applications. The low per-node cost will allow these wireless networks of sensors and actuators to be densely distributed. The nodes in these dense networks will coordinate to perform the distributed sensing and actuation tasks. Moreover, as described in this paper, the nodes can also coordinate to exploit the redundancy provided by high density so as to extend overall system lifetime. The large number of nodes deployed in these systems will preclude manual configuration, and the environmental dynamics will preclude design-time preconfiguration. Therefore, nodes will have to self-configure to establish a topology that provides communication under stringent energy constraints. ASCENT builds on the notion that, as density increases, only a subset of the nodes are necessary to establish a routing forwarding backbone. In ASCENT, each node assesses its connectivity and adapts its participation in the multihop network topology based on the measured operating region. This paper motivates and describes the ASCENT algorithm and presents analysis, simulation, and experimental measurements. We show that the system achieves linear increase in energy savings as a function of the density and the convergence time required in case of node failures while still providing adequate connectivity.

Hardware for sensor nodes that combine physical sensors, actuators, embedded processors, and communication components has advanced significantly over the last decade, and made the large-scale deployment of such sensors a reality. Applications range from monitoring applications such as inventory maintenance over health care to military applications.