Mobile Ad Hoc

Network
MANET (more overview)
Ebook Reading 1: MANET by Loo Chp 1

What are the essential features

of MANET?
Autonomous

terminals: Each mobile node is

an autonomous node, which may function
both as a router and end node
Distributed operation: The control and the
management of the network is distributed
among the nodes. The nodes involved in a
MANET should collaborate amongst
themselves to implement functions like
security and routing

 Multi-hop

routing: based on the type of

routing protocol, link layer attributes
Dynamic network topology: network is formed
on fly and life time of the network is short.
Nodes are mobile (i.e. topology is dynamic).
A user in the MANET may not only operate
within the ad hoc network, but may require
access to a public fixed network (e.g.
Internet) see the slides on heterogeneous
ad hoc networks.

 Fluctuating

link capacity: The nature of highbit-error rates of wireless connections must

be more profound in a MANET
Light-weight terminals: In most cases,
MANET nodes are mobile devices with less
CPU processing capabilities, small memory
size and less storage.

How can MANETs be

classified?

According to the communication: Single-hop or multi-hop

According to topology: flat, hierarchical, or aggregate

According to node configuration: homogeneous, or

heterogeneous

According to coverage area: body area, personal area, local

area, metropolitan area, or wide area.

Discuss heterogeneous ad hoc

networks in terms of connecting to
the Internet (Hybrid Ad Hoc Networks)

Hybrid ad hoc networks: 1. fixed Internet. 2. the MANET. 3. gateways interfacing

the fixed Internet and the MANET

Communication/Routing 1: between any pairs of users/objects inside the MANET;

handled by ad hoc routing protocols (MANET local routing) a focus in CSE4PND
(next lecture topic)

Communication/Routing 2: between an object inside a MANET with another object

in a different MANET; handled by MANET local routing and a gateway not a focus
in CSE4PND

Communication/Routing 3: between MANET objects and fixed nodes; handled by

MANET local routing and a gateway with IP mobility (external routes) Mobile IP a
focus in CSE4PND if time permits
Handover when different adjacent MANET subnetworks are connected to the
Internet not a focus in CSE4PND