Performance Evaluation of of MAC Protocol in Mobile Ad-Hoc

Wireless Network
Er.Ravi kant Vishwakarma, 2Prof.Mukta Sahu
1
1
Mtech scholar, Department of ECE Engineering, LNCT (Bhopal) Indore Campus
(old name:- Lord Krishna college of technology, Indore)
2
Asst. professor, Dept. of ECE Engineering, LNCT (Bhopal) Indore Campus
(old name:- Lord Krishna college of technology, Indore)

ABSTRACT: A Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANETs) is a collection of wireless hosts that can be
rapidly deployed as a multi hop packet radio network without the aid of any established infrastructure or
centralized administration [1] . Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols are responsible for coordinating
the access from active nodes. Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) refers to a family of protocols used
by stations contending for access to a shared medium like an Ethernet cable or a radio channel. MACA
(Multiple Accesses with Collision Avoidance) Protocol is a Contention based Sender initiated Protocol
which uses Three way handshaking means that Request to send packet, clear to send packet ,Data packet
exchange. By the help of binary exponential back off Algorithm avoid congestion problem and this
algorithm help to determine correct sending rate. in which if any packet transmitted by a node is drop, the
node uses the back-off (BEB) algorithm to random amount of time . A comparative study was done on
Ns-2 2.35 Version simulator over CSMA & MACA. DSR routing protocol will use to evaluate the
CSMA& MACA performance the aim of this research is to compare the standardized MAC protocols on
MANETs and thereby analyzing performance under varying node density of network with different MAC
protocols. The routing protocols that are considered in the analysis is Dynamic Source Routing. In
addition, from the transport layer's perspective, it is necessary to consider MAC protocols as well for
MANETs because of its wide application, which enjoys the advantage of decisive data transmission on
the Internet. Hence, it is of utmost important to identify the most suitable and efficient MAC protocols
that can perform under these specific conditions.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

As wireless networks provide access computing and communication services on the move regardless of
users location. The one type of wireless network is infrastructure less networks that is known as Mobile
Ad-Hoc Networks (MANET) [1]. It is a self-configuring infrastructure fewer devices connected by
wireless and equipped with networking capability. In these networks host movement is rapid. All nodes
are capable to move and can be connected dynamically in arbitrary manner means topology change
frequently. In wireless Ad-Hoc Networks, the nodes themselves from the network, and they do not need
fixed infrastructure, therefore each node executes routing functionalities, such as forwarding network
traffic. Before designing an Ad-Hoc wireless, we should consider different aspects, such as the use of the
media access control protocol, routing protocol, transport layer protocol, quality of service, or support of
security. To work properly the different protocols in wireless Ad-Hoc Networks must handle different
issues, such as the noise of the network, routing information error, transmission ranges, etc. Sometimes in
one node, only part of the information collected by one protocol is delivered to another protocol and a
misinterpretation among these protocols may happen. To deal with this, we propose modification in the
Media Access Control 802.11 protocol to avoid launching unnecessary operations in the DSR (Dynamic
Source Routing) protocol, achieving better performance in the network, i.e. less routing overload, less
routing changes, less packets collisions, less route errors, less MAC errors, and more throughput.
Concretely, DSR protocol launches route error when a neighboring node is still near, because it
understands the information received from the MAC layer as a broken link. Usually the interferences
among radio ranges of nodes could lead to this disagreement. The proposed approach tracks the signal
strength of each node, informing the routing layer that the node has enough signal strength, skipping the
route error launched by DSR. A MAC protocol is an essential part of a Mobile Ad-Hoc Network that
controls how nodes access the shared medium. It is important because a well-designed MAC protocol can
maximize the performance and adequacy of the network. A great effort has been put into research to
invent the MAC protocol with the best performance possible [2].

Figure1.0 Mobile ad hoc network

1.1 Performance Parameters

 Packet delivery fraction The ratio between the numbers of received data packets at the intended
destination node and the number of transmitting data packets at the source node. It specifies the
packet loss rate, which limits the maximum throughput of the network. The better the delivery
ratio, the most complete and correct is the MAC protocol.

Σ Data packets Received

PDF = ———————————————— ..................................(1.1)
Σ Data packets send

 Throughput Through put is defined as the number of packets flowing through the channel at a
particular instant of time. This performance metric signifies that the total number of packets that
have been successfully delivered from source node to the destination node.
Σ Packet Received
Throughput = ————————————————— ......................(1.2)
Transmission time

 Routing overhead Routing Overhead is the ratio of overhead byte to the delivered data byte. The
transmission at each hop along the route is counted as one transmission in the calculation of this
metric.

2.0 ISSUES AND DESIGN GOALS

The main challenge in the MAC layer is how to allocate the channel among competing users. Before
discussing the major protocols used in the MAC layer, there are several key issues to be noted [21].
 Single channel assumption: One single channel is available for all stations.
  Collision assumption: If two frames are transmitting at the same time, they overlap in time and
the signal becomes garbled.
Slotted time: Time is divided into intervals called slots. Transmission of frames always starts in
the beginning of a slot. The users transmit in rapid succession, one after another, each utilizing its
own time slot.
 No carrier sense: Stations cannot sense the channel before using it. Only after transmission, a
station may verify whether the transmission was successful or not.
 Carrier sense: Stations are able to realize if the channel is busy or not. If the channel is busy a
station will not attempt to use the channel until it becomes idle.

2.1 Operation
The classical Local Area Networks (LAN) use Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection
(CSMA/CD) in the MAC layer for channel allocation [17]. Using CSMA/CD, if two stations try to get the
channel at the same time, they will detect a collision and will abort the transmission. After the collision is
detected, a station waits a random period, and then it tries again to get the channel. This protocol cannot
be used in wireless networks because the range of the nodes must be considered. In Wireless Networks,
the interferences may happen in the receiver whereas; CSMA/CD only considers interference in the
sender. This will be explained in the hidden/exposed terminal problem.

Hidden and exposed problem: The hidden station problem arises when there is collision of
packets at the receiving node, because when nodes are transmitting, they are not within the
transmission range of each other, but they are in the transmission range of the receiver [17].
Consider figure 4.1, where S1 is transmitting to R1, S2 can potentially interfere with R1 but not
with S1. If S2 sense the channel, it will not hear S1 because it is out of range, and therefore
mistakenly conclude that it can transmit to R1. At this moment, if S1 starts to transmit it will
collide at node S2, resulting in lost packets. In Wireless Networks, the exposed node
problem occurs when a node is prevented from sending packets to other nodes due to a
neighboring nodes .The exposed station problem happens when a node concludes mistakenly that
cannot transmit, because a nearly node is transmitting to another node. Consider again figure 4.1,
where S1 is transmitting to R1. If S3 sense the channel it will hear an ongoing transmission, and
it will falsely conclude that cannot transmit to R2. In this case, collision could happen only in the
zone between S1 and R1.

Fig2.1 Routing Protocol

3.0 ROUTING IN MANET
The main goal of the Network layer [22] is to choose a correct path to transmit packets from a source
towards a destination. For this purpose, routing protocols set up and maintain routing tables, which store
information on where packets should be sent next to reach their destinations. Routing protocols should be
able to choose the appropriate paths and deals with different network topologies from a source through a
destination of data. Due to the high mobility of nodes in Ad-Hoc Wireless Networks, traditional routing
protocols used in wired networks cannot be applied directly [17]. Moreover, other characteristics should
be considered before choosing a wireless routing protocol, as we have discussed in chapter3.

3.1 Classification
Mobile Ad-Hoc Network is a composition of a group of mobile, wireless nodes, which cooperate in
forwarding packets in a multi-hop fashion without any centralized administration. In a MANET, each
mobile node acts as a router as well as an end node which is either source or destination because the
structure of the network changes dynamically [15]. Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks are categorized by a
dynamic, multihop, rapid changing topology. The classification of routing protocol is:

Figure 3.1 Classification of MANET Routing Protocol

4.0 PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

4.1 MAC Algorithm

Medium Access Control (MAC) Algorithms are used to allow several users to simultaneously share a
common medium of communication in order to gain the maximum of channel utilization with minimum
conflict and collisions. MAC is analogous to traffic regulations in the highway. For example, in highway
several vehicles cross the same road at a same time, but the rules required to avoid collision e.g. follow
the traffic lights, building the flyovers etc. [1]. MAC belongs to two layers, layer 1 the Data Link Control
layer of the OSI reference model. Layer 2 is subdivided into the Media Access Control layer, and Logical
Link Control (LLC) layer. The task of the DLC is to establish a reliable point-to-point connection or
point-to-multipoint connection between different devices over wired medium or wireless medium.
MAC Algorithms are classified in two categories of antenna here as Ad-Hoc Networks either use Omni
directional Antennas or Directional Antennas.

4.2 The Network Simulator

Simulation is widely-used in system modeling for applications ranging from engineering research,
business analysis, manufacturing planning, and biological science experimentation etc. Compared to
analytical modeling, simulation usually requires less abstraction in the model (i.e. fewer simplifying
assumptions) since almost every possible detail of the specifications of the system can be put into the
simulation model to best describe the actual system. When the system is rather large and complex, a
straightforward mathematical formulation may not be feasible. In this case, the simulation approach is
usually preferred to the analytical approach.

Figure 4.1 Running NS-2 Simulations

4.3 Simulation Goal

 Support networking research and education.
 Protocol design, traffic studies etc.
 Protocol comparison.
 Provide a collaborative environment.
 Freely distributed, open source.
 Share code, protocols, models, etc.

4.4 Type of Network Simulators

There is various type of simulator exists. Each simulator has its own features and performance capability.
All type of simulator can be tested on the performance based and accuracy in the results. Table 6.1 is
showing different type of simulator based on availability in the market.
Table 6.1 Types of Simulator

License type Network Simulator Name

Commercial OPNET, Qualnet

Open Source NS-2

4.4.1 Commercial and Open Source Simulators

Those simulator which are not providing source code of the software or the affiliated packages to the
general users for free they all are commercial type of simulator and those simulator provide source code
or affiliated software packages freely for the user they all are open source type of simulator. To use
commercial simulator user have to pay to get the license to use their software or pay to order specific
packages for their own specific usage requirements, typical example such type of simulator is OPNET.

4.4.1.1 Advantages of Commercial Simulator

 Provide complete code for uses.
 Provide full documentation for uses.
  Properly maintain by the vendor.

4.4.1.2 Disadvantages Of Commercial Simulator

 Not freely available and very costly.

5.0 NETWORK SIMULATOR (NS-2)

NS-2 is one of the most popular open source network simulators. The original Network Simulator is a
discrete event simulator targeted at networking research.
Network Simulator
 A package of tools that simulates behavior of networks.
 Create Network Topologies, Log events that happen under any load.
 Analyze events to understand the network behavior.

5.1 Creating Topology of Ns-2

Figure 6.4 is showing the simple topology in the network.

Figure 5.1 Topology in the NS-2

 Nodes
 Set properties like queue length, location.
 Protocols, routing algorithms.
 Links
 Set types of link – Simplex, duplex, wireless, satellite.
 Set bandwidth, latency etc.

5.2 Observing Network Behavior

Observe behavior by tracing events, eg. Packet received, packet drop etc. figure 6.5 is showing the
behavior of the network.

Figure 5.2 Network Behavior

6.0 CONTENTION BASED DYNAMIC RESERVATION/COLLISION RESOLUTION

In order to solve the hidden and exposed terminal problem in CSMA , researchers have come up with
many protocols which are contention based but involve some form of dynamic reservation /collision
resolution. in particular we shall discuss several important contention based schemes in the signal
channel, receiver initiated, power aware, multiple channel and QOS aware categories.

6.1 Single channel MAC protocol

The earliest protocols that were designed to implement as a MAC layer protocols were the single
channels schemes. Using one channel to share all the information (control signals and the DATA), these
schemes faced a lot of problems that decreased the efficiency of the entire network.

6.2 Multiple access collision avoidance (MACA)

Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (MACA) is a slotted media access control protocol used in
wireless LAN data transmission to avoid collisions caused by the hidden station problem and to simplify
exposed station problem [2], [12], [14], [15], [16]. This MACA protocol is not fully solve the hidden
node and exposed terminal problem and nothing is done regarding receiver blocked problem. Contention
Based Protocol Nodes are not guaranteed periodic access to the channel. They cannot support real time
traffic. Three way handshaking, RTS—CTS—Data packet exchange. Binary Exponential back off
Algorithm Sender initiated Protocol. The basic idea of MACA is a wireless network node makes an
announcement before it sends the data frame to inform other nodes to dont send frame at that time. When
a node wants to transmit, it sends a Request-To-Send (RTS)signal with the length of the frame to send. If
the receiving node allows the transmission, it replies Clear-To-Send (CTS) signal to the transmitter with
the length of the data frame that is about to receive. Meanwhile, a node that hears RTS signal it should
remain silent to avoid conflict with CTS signal; a node that hears CTS signal should keep silent until the
data transmission is complete When a node wants to transmit a data packet, it first transmits a RTS
(Request to Send) frame. The receiver node, if receiving node allow transmission , it send CTS (Clear to
Send) packet. Once the sender receives the CTS packet to the receiver without any error, it starts
transmitting the data packet. If a packet which is transmitted by a node is lost, the node uses the binary
exponential back-off (BEB) algorithm to back off a random interval of time before retrying.

7.0 CONCLUSION
A Mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a self organizing, self managing infrastructure less wireless
communication network in which all nodes can be considered as hosts or routers. In these networks, the
Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols are responsible for coordinating the access from nodes. In
order to avoid transmission collisions in MANETs, a reliable and energy efficient MAC protocol is
needed. media access control protocol are design to overcome some Ad-hoc wireless network issues and
issues are: (node mobility; Limited bandwidth availability ,an error- prone broadcast channel;
synchronization; bandwidth efficiency; Hidden and exposed terminal problem ,QoS support) . In this
article, we present a comprehensive survey of major MAC schemes, which integrating various issues and
challenges.

8.0 REFERENCES

[1] T. Bheemarjuna Reddy, I. Karthikeyan, B.S. Manoj, C. Siva Ram Murthy, ―Quality of service provisioning in
ad hoc wireless networks: a survey of issues and solutions‖, Department of Computer Science and Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras 600036, India, Ad Hoc Networks 4 (2006) 83–124.
[2] Imrich Chlamtac, Marco Conti, Jennifer J.N. Liu, ―Mobile ad hoc networking: imperatives and challenges‖,
University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA, Ad Hoc Networks 1 (2003) 13–64.
[3 ]C.K. Toh, ―Ad Hoc Mobile Wireless Networks: Protocols and Systems‖, Springer Prentice Hall Publishers,
ISBN 013 007 8174, 2001.
[4] Azzedine Boukerche, ―Algorithms and Protocols for Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks‖, University of
Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, ISBN 978-0-470-38358-2 (cloth) TK5105.77.A44 2008.
[5] Arun Kumar B. R., ―Performance Comparison of Wireless Mobile Ad-Hoc Network Routing Protocols‖,
Bangalore & Research Scholar, Dept. of CS, School of Science & Technology, Dravidian University,
Kuppam517425, A. P., India, June 2008.
[6] S Krishnamurthy, ―Ad-Hoc Networks - Technologies and Protocols – P Mohapatra‖, Springer Publishers, 2004
(ISBN: 0-387-22689-3).
[7] Changzhou Wang, Guijun Wang, Haiqin Wang, Alice Chen, ―Quality of Service (QoS) Contract Specification,
Establishment, and Monitoring for Service Level Management‖, Rodolfo Santiago Boeing Phantom Works Seattle,
WA, USA 0-7695-2743-4/06, 2006.
[8] El-Bahlul Fgee, Jason D. Kenney, William J. Phillips, William Robertson, ―Comparison of QoS performance
between IPv6 QoS management model and IntServ and DiffServ QoS models‖, Dalhousie University, Department of
Engineering Mathematics, and Halifax, ISBN:0-7695- 2333-1, 2005.
[9] QualNet 4.5 Programmer’s Guide, Scalable Network Technologies, Inc., 6701 Center Drive West, Suite 520,
Los Angeles, CA 90045.
[10] Scalable Network Technologies, ―QualNet simulator 4.0 Version‖, tutorial on
http://www.cs.binghamton.edu /~vinkolar/QualNet/qualnet-tut1.pdf.
[11] C.E. Perkins, ―Ad Hoc Network‖, Pearson Education, ISBN: 8131720969, 2008.
[12] C. Siva Ram Murthy and B. S. Manoj, ―Ad Hoc Wireless Networks: Architectures and Protocols‖, Pearson
Education, ISBN13: 9780131470231 ISBN10: 0- 13- 147023-X, 2008.
[13] Blerta Bishaj, ―MAC protocols, contention-based with reservation and scheduling‖, Helsinki University of
Technology.
[14] Bartlomiej Zielilski, ―Contention MAC Protocols Efficiency Testing in a Small Wireless Network‖, Silesian
Technical University, Bartlomiej.
[15]Alan Demers, Scott Shenker, Lixia Zhang, ―Media Access Protocol for Wireless LAN’s‖, University of
California at Berkeley. [16] Akhilesh Kumar Dubey Anjana Jain S.V. Charhate, ―Performance Evaluation of MAC
layer Protocols for Ad hoc WLAN‖, 23 Park Road Indore (M.P.) INDIA DOI