RFC 2501 (rfc2501) - Page 2 of 12

Mobile Ad hoc Networking (MANET): Routing Protocol Performance Issues and Evaluation Considerations

RFC 2501                MANET Performance Issues            January 1999


   connected via a wireless link, dial-up line, etc.  Supporting this
   form of host mobility (or nomadicity) requires address management,
   protocol interoperability enhancements and the like, but core network
   functions such as hop-by-hop routing still presently rely upon pre-
   existing routing protocols operating within the fixed network. In
   contrast, the goal of mobile ad hoc networking is to extend mobility
   into the realm of autonomous, mobile, wireless domains, where a set
   of nodes--which may be combined routers and hosts--themselves form
   the network routing infrastructure in an ad hoc fashion.

2. Applications

   The technology of Mobile Ad hoc Networking is somewhat synonymous
   with Mobile Packet Radio Networking (a term coined via during early
   military research in the 70's and 80's), Mobile Mesh Networking (a
   term that appeared in an article in The Economist regarding the
   structure of future military networks) and Mobile, Multihop, Wireless
   Networking (perhaps the most accurate term, although a bit
   cumbersome).

   There is current and future need for dynamic ad hoc networking
   technology.  The emerging field of mobile and nomadic computing, with
   its current emphasis on mobile IP operation, should gradually broaden
   and require highly-adaptive mobile networking technology to
   effectively manage multihop, ad hoc network clusters which can
   operate autonomously or, more than likely, be attached at some
   point(s) to the fixed Internet.

   Some applications of MANET technology could include industrial and
   commercial applications involving cooperative mobile data exchange.
   In addition,  mesh-based mobile networks can be operated as robust,
   inexpensive alternatives or enhancements to cell-based mobile network
   infrastructures. There are also existing and future military
   networking requirements for robust, IP-compliant data services within
   mobile wireless communication networks [1]--many of these networks
   consist of highly-dynamic autonomous topology segments. Also, the
   developing technologies of "wearable" computing and communications
   may provide applications for MANET technology. When properly combined
   with satellite-based information delivery, MANET technology can
   provide an extremely flexible method for establishing communications
   for fire/safety/rescue operations or other scenarios requiring
   rapidly-deployable communications with survivable, efficient dynamic
   networking. There are likely other applications for MANET technology
   which are not presently realized or envisioned by the authors.  It
   is, simply put, improved IP-based networking technology for dynamic,
   autonomous wireless networks.





Corson & Macker              Informational