Comparing Routing Protocols

A routing protocol disseminates information for route selection between any two nodes on a network and thus provides the ground for sending data (packets) through the network. Routing protocols are used in a wide range of application areas in various types of networks, such as Local Area Networks (LAN), Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) or Wireless Mesh Networks (WMN). Due to the application diversity, different protocols have been developed. For instance in the case of WMNs, there are reactive protocols, such as AODV, and proactive protocols, such as OLSR. These protocols have been already implemented and deployed. However, it is unclear which protocol should be used in certain circumstances: Could we assume that AODV performs better than OLSR in case of reduced network traffic? Is OLSR better than AODV when considering mobile networks? To answer these questions systematically, we aim at formally defining properties that can be used as metrics (measurements) for routing protocols. To evaluate the measurements, we focus on comparing AODV and OLSR protocols.