ROUTING

A routing protocol is necessary, since two hosts that may wish to exchange packets might
not be able to communicate directly. For example, Figure illustrates a simple ad hoc network of
mobile hosts using wireless network interfaces. Host C is not within the range of host A’s wireless
transmitter and host A is not within the range of host C’s wireless transmitter. If A and C wish to
exchange packets, they may in this case enlist the services of other hosts to forward packets for
them. In this example they use the services of three hosts to communicate. The maximum number
of network hops needed to reach another mobile host in any practical ad hoc network is likely to be
small, but may often be greater than one as shown here. The routing problem in a real ad hoc
network may be even more complicated than this example suggests, due to the inherent non uniform
propagation characteristics of wireless transmission, and since any or all of the hosts involved may
move at any time.

Host C

Host A

An Example of Routing

Routing protocols for ad hoc networks can generally be divided into two categories.

A proactive (or periodic) routing protocol attempts to allow each node using it to always maintain
an up-to date route to each possible destination in the network; the protocol periodically exchanges
routing information with other nodes in order to allow new routes to be discovered and existing
routes to be modified if they break due to factors such as node mobility and environmental changes.