The role of ad hoc networking in future wireless communications

This paper discusses the role of ad hoc networking in future wireless communications. Ad hoc networks are classified as isolated ad hoc networks with large and small sizes, integrated ad hoc networks in various scenarios and cellular ad hoc networks for the future mobile access networks. The very low traffic performance of large-scale ad hoc networks is shown by simulation results, indicating such a king of networks having little commercial potential. Small size ad hoc networks seem to be ubiquitous because of the availability of cheap wireless LAN technologies. Integration of small size ad hoc networks with the global Internet can be realized by ad hoc gateways, which are proposed in this paper. In contrast to large scale isolated ad hoc networks, traffic performance of a cellular ad hoc network is very promising, indicating that cellular ad hoc networking seems to be a promising solution to fulfill the requirements of future wireless communication systems.