Performance comparison of two on-demand routing protocols for ad hoc networks

TLDR

Ad hoc networks are characterized by multi‑hop wireless connectivity, frequently changing topology, and a need for efficient dynamic routing protocols. The study compares the performance of dynamic source routing (DSR) and ad hoc on‑demand distance vector routing (AODV) in mobile ad hoc networks. The authors use a detailed simulation model incorporating MAC and physical layer dynamics to evaluate inter‑layer interactions across varying network load, mobility, and size. The results show that protocol mechanics cause significant performance differences, and the authors recommend specific improvements for each protocol.

Abstract

Ad hoc networks are characterized by multi-hop wireless connectivity, frequently changing network topology and the need for efficient dynamic routing protocols. We compare the performance of two prominent on-demand 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 inter-layer 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.