A simulation based performance comparison of routing protocol on Mobile Ad-hoc Network (proactive, reactive and hybrid)

Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) is a collection of wireless mobile nodes which dynamically forms a temporary network without the use of any existing network infrastructure or centralized administration. Recently, there has been a tremendous growth in the sales of laptops, handheld computers, PDA and portable computers. These smaller computers nevertheless can be equipped with megabytes/gigabytes of disk storage, high-resolution color displays, pointing devices and wireless communications adapters. Moreover, since many of these small computers operate for hours with battery power, users are free to move without being constrained by wires. To support such type of scenario MANET has been designed. MANET has several characteristics such as, dynamic topologies, bandwidth-constrained, variable capacity links, energy-constrained operation and limited physical security. There are three types of routing protocols in MANET such as Proactive, Reactive, and Hybrid. In this paper, a detailed simulation based performance study and analysis is performed on these types of routing protocols over MANET. Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV), and Dynamic MANET On-demand (DYMO) routing protocol (reactive), Optimized Link State Routing protocol (OLSR) (proactive) and Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP) is (hybrid) have been considered in this paper for the investigation and their relative performance is reported.