MANET Routing Protocols’ Performance Assessment Under Dynamic Network Conditions

Ibrahim Mohsen Selim ¹

Naglaa Sayed Abdelrehem ²

Walaa Alayed ³

Hesham Elbadawy ⁴

Rowayda A. Sadek ^{1, 5}

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Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Computers & Artificial Intelligence, Helwan University, Cairo 11795, Egypt |

Faculty of Information Systems and Computer Science, October 6 University, Giza 12585, Egypt

Department of Information Technology, College of Computer and Information Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia |

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Research and Development, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Cairo 11795, Egypt

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Faculty of Electrical, Electronic & Computer Technology, Saxony Egypt University for Applied Science and Technology, Cairo 11511, Egypt

Publication type: Journal Article

Publication date: 2025-03-07

MDPI

Journal: Applied Sciences (Switzerland)

scimago Q2

SJR: 0.508

CiteScore: 5.3

Impact factor: 2.5

ISSN: 20763417

DOI: 10.3390/app15062891

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Abstract

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) are decentralized wireless networks characterized by dynamic topologies and the absence of fixed infrastructure. These unique features make MANETs critical for applications such as disaster recovery, military operations, and IoT systems. However, they also pose significant challenges for efficient and effective routing. This study evaluates the performance of eight MANET routing protocols: Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR), Destination-Sequenced Distance Vector (DSDV), Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV), Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), Ad Hoc On-Demand Multipath Distance Vector (AOMDV), Temporally Ordered Routing Algorithm (TORA), Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP), and Geographic Routing Protocol (GRP). Using a custom simulation environment in OMNeT++ 6.0.1 with INET-4.5.0, the protocols were tested under four scenarios with varying node densities (20, 80, 200, and 500 nodes). The simulations utilized the Random Waypoint Mobility model to mimic dynamic node movement and evaluated key performance metrics, including network load, throughput, delay, energy consumption, jitter, packet loss rate, and packet delivery ratio. The results reveal that proactive protocols like OLSR are ideal for stable, low-density environments, while reactive protocols such as AOMDV and TORA excel in dynamic, high-mobility scenarios. Hybrid protocols, particularly GRP, demonstrate a balanced approach; achieving superior overall performance with up to 30% lower energy consumption and higher packet delivery ratios compared to reactive protocols. These findings provide practical insights into the optimal selection and deployment of MANET routing protocols for diverse applications, emphasizing the potential of hybrid protocols for modern networks like IoT and emergency response systems.