COMPARISON OF PROTOCOLS IN MANETS

A Mobile Ad-Hoc Network [MANET] is a self-configuring infrastructure-less network of mobile devices connected by wireless. Each device/node in a MANET is free to move independently in any direction, and will therefore change its links to other devices frequently. Because of that there is no long term guaranteed path from any one node to other node. Each must forward traffic unrelated to its own use, and therefore be a router. The primary challenge in building a MANET is equipping each device to continuously maintain the information required to properly route traffic. In recent years several routing protocols have been proposed for MANET like DSDV, AODV, DSR, etc. In this paper, overview, characteristics, functionality, advantages and disadvantages of some of these protocols have been described so as to make their comparative analysis in order to improve their performance. MANET have very enterprising use in emergency scenarios like military operations and disaster-relief operation where there is need of communication network immediately following some major event, or like conference and seminar at new place where there is no earlier network infrastructure exist and need alternative solution.