A distance-vector routing protocol with consistency checking for mobile distributed direct-sequence packet radio networks

This paper describes a protocol for distributed routing that is designed specifically for mobile direct-sequence packet radio networks. The protocol expands on the features of a distance-vector protocol based on the least-resistance approach that works well with “soft” information about link quality. The innovations in the new protocol include rules that check routes for consistency and the use of timers to discard outdated routing information. The performance of this protocol has been studied using a network simulation that incorporates detailed models for the physical and channel-access layers. We compare the performance of this protocol with a protocol that does not use consistency checking and show that the new protocol performs better in networks with continually changing link conditions