Energy Efficient Link Aware Routing with Power Control in Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Network Engineering

Background:

• Traditional routing protocols in wireless ad hoc networks primarily use minimum distance and hop counts for route selection.
• These protocols often neglect crucial network conditions like link quality and node residual energy, leading to suboptimal performance.
• Link failures trigger route discovery mechanisms, significantly increasing routing overhead.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel routing protocol for wireless ad hoc networks that improves network performance.
• To address the limitations of traditional routing by incorporating multiple network metrics for route selection.
• To reduce routing overhead and enhance throughput while maintaining network connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Developed a protocol utilizing multiple metrics, including residual energy and link quality, for route selection.
• Integrated a monitoring mechanism to detect and manage poor links, initiating route discovery proactively.
• Implemented power control strategies to conserve energy and boost network performance.
• Conducted simulations to evaluate the protocol's effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The proposed protocol demonstrated improved packet delivery ratio compared to traditional methods.
• Significant reduction in routing overhead was observed due to the proactive link monitoring and management.
• Enhanced residual energy levels across network nodes were achieved through optimized routing and power control.
• Overall network throughput and connectivity were improved.

Conclusions:

• The novel multi-metric routing protocol effectively enhances wireless ad hoc network performance.
• Considering residual energy and link quality leads to more robust and efficient routing.
• Proactive link management and power control are vital for reducing overhead and conserving energy.