Design and implementation of a new MANET simulator model for AODV simulation

Abstract

Distributed systems, such as ad hoc networks, are composed of nodes communicating with each other using underlying wireless technologies. Communication protocols, connection technologies, traffic flows, and routing algorithms are very complex in the design process of ad hoc networks. Due to the challenges in current network simulators such as complexity, mobility, and scalability, studies on ad hoc networks are far beyond real life. For the purpose of overcoming the problems above, modeling and simulation tools are extremely significant in ad hoc research. In this study, for studying complexity, scalability, and adaptability aspect problems of mobile systems, a MANET model and its simulator have been developed and called the MANET-DEVS simulator. For the purpose of showing the model's superiority and performance, various networks with different sizes and configurations have been created and simulated under various traffic loads. Furthermore, the performance of the AODV routing protocol as the most common MANET routing protocol has been investigated in the developed simulator. The developed model's validation and verification tests have been carried out to depict the model's confidence. The results show that the MANET-DEVS simulator provides robust and easy simulations for MANET characteristics and facilitates the education of the AODV routing protocol.