Route maintenance using link state prediction for dense mobile Ad hoc networks

An ad hoc network is a multi-hop wireless network formed by a collection of mobile nodes without the intervention of fixed infrastructure. Limited bandwidth and a high degree of mobility require that routing protocols for ad hoc networks be robust and simple. In mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs), node mobility causes network topologies to change dynamically over time, which complicates the important tasks such as route discovery and maintenance. Most of the routing algorithms usually focus on how to discover a stable route, but rarely considers the adaptability of constructed route to the change of node's motion. This paper proposes a new ad hoc route maintenance protocol called Route Maintenance using Link State Prediction (RM-LSP). RM-LSP utilizes node locality to enhance resilience against mobility and hence the throughput. RM-LSP reduces the overhead of route failure recovery in source end and attempts to improve route efficiency and network throughput. Our simulation results show that RM-LSP delivers packets efficiently while substantially reducing control overhead in various environments. Simulation study of the algorithm proves it to offer significant benefits in dense scenarios.