Computer Science

Directed Research Project Details

The Effects of Mobility on Multicast Routing in Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract

Performance evaluation of ad hoc routing protocols typically depends on simulation, since the deployment of ad hoc networks is still relatively rare. However, past evaluations of multicast routing protocols have utilized a single, simple mobility model, and thus do not capture the variety of mobility patterns likely to be exhibited by ad hoc applications. In this project, we explore the impact of several different mobility models on multicast routing performance, using techniques that have been demonstrated to be effective for unicast routing protocols. We evaluate two of the leading multicast routing protocols -- ODMRP (On Demand Multicast Routing Protocol) and ADMR (Adaptive Demand Driven Multicast Routing) -- along with flooding. We demonstrate that three key mobility metrics help to explain the performance variations observed for these protocols when experiencing high mobility. In addition, we study a high density, high traffic scenario and find that ODMRP copes with this extreme situation much better than ADMR.