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Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application, Routing Protocol and

Security Attacks

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 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF R&D IN ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
Vol.2, Issue 5, July 2015, Impact Factor-0.439, p.p.266-274, ISSN 2393-865X

Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application,

Routing Protocol and Security Attacks
Sandeep Kumar1, Col. (Dr) Suresh Kumar2
1
M.Tech Scholar, Department of Electronics & Communication Engg., University Institute of Engineering
& Technology, Maharshi Dayanand University Rohtak, Haryana, India
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics & Communication Engg., University Institute of
Engineering & Technology Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India

ABSTRACT

Mobile Ad-hoc Network” are wireless N\W which are characterized by the absence of fixed infrastructure. It is a dynamic network which
consists a collection of wireless mobile nodes that communicate with each other without the use of any centralized authority (device). The
devices belonging to the network must be able not only to transmit and receive data, but also to manage all the function of network in a
disturbed way i.e. routing of packets, security, QOS (quality of service) etc. Due to fundamental characteristic such as wireless medium,
dynamic topology, disturbed services, MANET”s is vulnerable to various kinds of security attacks like black hole, worm hole, rushing attacks
etc. In this paper we study mobile ad-hoc N\W and its characteristics, challenges, advantages, applications, routing protocol, security goal and
various attack in MANET.

Keywords:- Mobile ad-hoc network (MANET), routing protocol, wireless networks.

.__________________________________________________________________________________
1. INTRODUCTION

A Mobile Ad-hoc Network is a collection of independent mobile nodes that can communicate to each
other via radio waves. The mobile nodes that are in radio range of each other can directly communicate,
whereas others need the aid of intermediate nodes to route their packets. Each of the nodes has a wireless
interface to communicate with each other. These networks are fully distributed, and can work at any place
without the help of any fixed infrastructure as access points or base stations. Fig.1 shows a simple ad-hoc
network with 3 nodes. Node 1 and node 3 are not within range of each other; however the node 2 can be
used to forward packets between node 1and node 2. The node 2 will act as a router and these three nodes
together form an ad-hoc network . “Ad Hoc Networks” [1], [2] are wireless networks characterized by the
absence of fixed infrastructures. This allows: the use of this kind of network in special circumstances,
such as disastrous events, the reduction or elimination of the wiring costs and the exchange of information
among users independently from the environment. The devices belonging to the network must be able not
only to transmit and receive data, but also to manage all the functions of the network in a distributed way,
as routing of the packets, security, QoS (quality of service),

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Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application, Routing Protocol and Security Attacks

Fig.1: Example of mobile ad-hoc network

etc; so these are not only terminals, but they become sheer nodes. These devices have a wireless interface,
and are usually mobile systems of several types, from those simple ones like PDA to notebooks. We can
say Ad hoc Networks are usually characterized by:

1. Limited bandwidth with link of variable capacity.

2. Network topology that varies in the time depending on the position of the nodes, but also
depending on the terminals since they can be sometimes on or off, and they can also enter and exit
from the network; however the connectivity of the network should be kept so as to allow the
applications and the services working properly.
3. Limited amount of memory and energy, for these devices’ life, generally depends on the power of
their own battery.

Due to both the unreliability of wireless connections and the necessity to control the transmission power in
order not to waste the available energy, the communication among nodes can be done through multi-hop
paths. Moreover, the insertion of a node in the network which does not demand the job of an operator is
desired, but all the necessary configurations must be automatic. The network typologies can be various,
based on the applications to which are destined networks only constituted from a hundred of nodes, that
can be distributed with a greater or smaller density, or can be characterized by a greater or smaller
mobility. All that makes much more difficult to determine a management system for the network that is
always optimal or however usable. Inside the ”Internet Engineering Task Force” (IETF) there exists a
mobile ad hoc networking (MANET)[1], work group that develops peer-to- peer communication protocols
in wireless and mobile environments, respecting the IP standards. At the present status MANET has just
proposed: about ten routing unicast protocols (DSDV [3], AODV [4] ,DSR[5]), some multicast, an IP
address auto configurable and internet Interface System for ad hoc networks (MIPMANET[6]), and some
work about QoS. In the research centers the attention is focused on the development of: unicast and
multicast routing protocols, network auto configuration protocols, emergency technologies, MAC
protocols, devices resources management systems, information and services management systems, QoS,
security and authentication systems.

To build ad hoc networks it is possible to use two emerging technologies: IEEE 802.11 and Bluetooth[6].
IEEE 802.11 standard represents a good platform to implement single -hop ad hoc networks, since it is
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very simple. It is however usable also for multi-hop networks which cover areas of many square
kilometers (WLANS) wireless. Bluetooth technology actually represents wireless Personal Area Networks
standard (WPANs) [1]. In mobile ad hoc network (MANET), the nodes work together in a distributed
fashion to enable routing among them. Because of the lack of centralized control, routing becomes a
central issue and a major challenge as the network topology is constantly changing. It is a collection of
mobile nodes that are dynamically and arbitrarily located in such a manner that the interconnections
between nodes are capable of changing on a continual basis. Each node can act as a receiver, transmitter
or router [7].

2. CHARRACTERISTICS

1. Distributed Operation: There is no background network for the central control of the network
operations; the control of the network is distributed among the nodes. The nodes involved in a
MANET should cooperate with each other and communicate among themselves and each node
acts as a relay as needed, to implement specific functions such as routing and security [10].
2. 2Multi Hop Routing: When a node tries to send information to other nodes which is out of its
communication range, the packet should be forwarded via one or more intermediate nodes.
3. 3Autonomous Terminal: In MANET, each mobile node is an independent node, which could
function as both a host and a router.
4. Dynamic Topology: Nodes are free to move arbitrarily with different speeds; thus, the network
topology may change randomly and at unpredictable time. The nodes in the MANET dynamically
establish routing among themselves as they travel around, establishing their own network.
5. Light-Weight Terminals: In maximum cases, the nodes at MANET are mobile with less CPU
capability, low power storage and small memory size.
6. Shared Physical Medium: The wireless communication medium is accessible to any entity with
the appropriate equipment and adequate resources. Accordingly, access to the channel cannot be
restricted [10].

3. ADVANTAGES

The advantages of Mobile Ad-Hoc networks are as following [10]:

1. Regardless of geographic position MANETs provide access to information as well as services.

2. Because of Self-configuring networks, MANETs are independent from central network
administration. Nodes are also act as routers. They are less expensive than wired network.
3. Scalability feature provides accommodation for addition of more nodes.
4. They have highly improved Flexibility.
5. They are robust due to decentralized administration.
6. The network can easily be set up at any of the place and time.

4. CHALLENGES

Limited bandwidth: They have wireless link so that it continue to have notably lower capacity than
infrastructure networks. In accounting for the effects of several times access, fading, sound, and

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Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application, Routing Protocol and Security Attacks

interference conditions are realized to be the throughput of wireless communication often much less than a
radio’s maximum transmission rate.

1. Dynamic topology: It may disturb the trust relationship among nodes due to Dynamic topology
membership. This trust also is disturbed if considerable nodes are detected to be compromised.
2. Routing Overhead: In mobile ad-hoc networks, nodes may be habitually change their location
over the network. So, it leads to unnecessary routing overhead due to some stale routes generation
in the routing table.
3. Hidden terminal problem: The name suggests, the hidden terminal problem also referred as the
crash of packets at a receiver node due to the simultaneous transmission by these nodes that should
not be within direct transmission range of sender in spite of within the transmission range of the
receiver.
4. Packet losses due to transmission errors: The mobile Ad hoc wireless networks practiced a
much higher packets loss by means of factors such as increased collisions within the presence of
hidden terminals also in .presence of interference, unidirectional links & repeated path breaks due
to mobility of nodes.
5. Mobility-induced route changes: Due to dynamic topology of an ad hoc wireless network, it is
highly dynamic in nature due to the movement of nodes. Hence the on-going session also suffers
from regular path breaks. This underlying situation mostly leads to frequent route changes.
6. Battery constraints: Battery containing Devices are used in these networks. Hence they have
restrictions on the power source for maintaining portability, its size and weight of the device.
7. Security threats: Many new security challenges to the network design provided by wireless
mobile ad hoc nature of MANETs. The wireless medium is heavily vulnerable to eavesdropping
and mobile ad hoc network functionality. The mobile ad hoc network functionality is done through
node cooperation, between mobile ad hoc networks. These are intrinsically exposed to numerous
security attacks.

5. APPLICATIONS

Few Important applications of MANETs are:

1. Military battlefield: MANETs provide us to allow the military for maintaining

information about network in between the soldiers, vehicles also in military information
head quarter provides an advantage of commonplace network technology.
2. Commercial Sector: Mobile Ad hoc networks can also be used within emergency rescuing
operations for disaster management and relief efforts like in floods, or volcanic conditional
activities also in fires. It also helps in emergency rescuing operations must also take place
where there is either non-existing or damaged communicational infrastructure or needs of
rapid deployment of a communication network required.
3. Collaborative work: Some business environment might needs joint computing might be
more significant outside office environmental conditions than inside environmental

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conditions where people do require providing outside meetings for cooperation and
exchanging information on project.
4. Local level: Mobile Ad-Hoc networks are autonomously linked an instantaneous and
temporal multimedia network by using portable computers also to spread and sharing
information among members at a e.g. meeting or conference. Another most appropriate
locally leveled application within home networks where nodes can communicate directly
for exchanging information.
5. Personal area network and Bluetooth: A simple personal area network is a small ranged
and localizing network in which nodes are usually associated with a given person.
MANETs that are short-ranged like Bluetooth network can simplify the inter
communication between various mobile devices such as a personal laptop and any device
that is mobile.

6. ROUTING PROTOCOL

Ad-Hoc network routing protocols are commonly divide into three main classes; proactive, reactive and
hybrid protocols as shown in figure 2.

Figure 2: Classification of Unicast Routing Protocols

1. Reactive Routing Protocols: Reactive routing protocol is also known as on demand routing
protocol [8]. In this protocol route is discovered whenever it is needed Nodes initiate route
discovery on demand basis. Source node sees its route cache for the available route from source to
destination if the route is not available then it initiates route discovery process. The on- demand
routing protocols have two major components [9]:

a) Route discovery: In this phase source node initiates route discovery on demand basis. Source
nodes consult its route cache for the available route from source to destination otherwise if the
route is not present it initiates route discovery. The source node, in the packet, includes the
destination address of the node as well address of the intermediate nodes to the destination.
b) Route maintenance: Due to dynamic topology of the network cases of the route failure between
the nodes arises due to link breakage etc, so route maintenance is done. Reactive protocols have

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Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application, Routing Protocol and Security Attacks

acknowledgement mechanism due to which route maintenance is possible Reactive protocols add
latency to the network due to the route discovery mechanism. Each intermediate node involved in
the route discovery process adds latency. These protocols decrease the routing overhead but at the
cost of increased latency in the network. Hence these protocols are suitable in the situations where
low routing overhead is required. There are various well known reactive routing protocols present
in MANET for example DSR, AODV, TORA and LMR. There are various advantages as well as
disadvantages of reactive protocols. As these are based on route discovery on demand bases so
these include less overhead of control messages hence saving bandwidth but the price paid for this
is increased network latency due to route discovery process.

2 Proactive Routing Protocols: Proactive routing protocols are also called as table driven routing
protocols. In this every node maintain routing table which contains information about the network
topology even without requiring it. This feature although useful for datagram traffic, incurs
substantial signaling traffic and power consumption [6]. The routing tables are updated
periodically whenever the network topology changes. Proactive protocols are not suitable for large
networks as they need to maintain node entries for each and every node in the routing table of
every node [7]. These protocols maintain different number of routing tables varying from protocol
to protocol. There are various well known proactive routing protocols. Example: DSDV, OLSR,
WRP etc. Proactive protocols also has various advantages and disadvantages, being table driven
protocols they increase the control messages in the network due which message overhead in the
network increases .But at the same time due to routing information already present latency is
reduced in the network. Proactive approaches also suffer from either out of date states or flooding
of periodic updates .

3 Hybrid Routing Protocol: While most of the protocols presented for MANET are either proactive
or reactive protocols. There is a trade-off between proactive and reactive protocols. Proactive
protocols have large overhead and less latency while reactive protocols have less overhead and
more latency. So a Hybrid protocol is presented to overcome the shortcomings of both proactive
and reactive routing protocols. Hybrid routing protocol is combination of both proactive and
reactive routing protocol. It uses the route discovery mechanism of reactive protocol and the table
maintenance mechanism of proactive protocol so as to avoid latency and overhead problems in the
network. Hybrid protocol is suitable for large networks where large numbers of nodes are present.
In this large network is divided into set of zones where routing inside the zone is performed by
using reactive approach and outside the zone routing is done using reactive approach. There are
various popular hybrid routing protocols for MANET like ZRP, SHRP

7. SECURITY MANET

Security [10] is an important requirement in MANETS. Compared to wired networks, MANETs are more
exposed to security attacks due to lack of centralized authority and restricted resources. Attacks on ad hoc
networks can be classified as passive and active attacks, depending on whether the usual operation of the
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Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application, Routing Protocol and Security Attacks

network is disrupted or not. There are five major security goals that need to be addressed in order to
maintain a reliable and secure ad hoc network environment. They are namely: Confidentiality (it makes
sure that only authorized sensor node is accessing the content of messages), Availability (it ensures that
services should be available by WSN whenever it is required), Integrity (it measures that received data has
not been modified by an adversary), Authentication (it empowers a node to guarantee the identity of
neighbor to which it is communicating) and Authorization (it guarantees that only legal sensor can provide
information to network).Fig.3 shows the security attacks in MANETS.

Fig.3 Attacks on routing.

7.1 Type of Security Attacks

The security attacks in MANET can be generally classified into: passive attacks and active attacks.

1. Passive Attacks: A passive attack does not disrupt the usual operation of the network; the attacker
the data exchanged in the network without altering it. Here the condition of confidentiality gets
debased. Detection of passive attack is very complicated since the operation of the network itself
doesn’t get affected. One of the ways to remove the problem is to use authoritative encryption
mechanism to encrypt the data being transmitted, thereby building it impossible for the attacker to
get valuable information from the data overhead.
2. Active Attacks: An active attack attempts to modify or demolish the data being exchanged in the
network there by upsetting the normal performance of the network. Active attacks are of two
types: internal or external. Nodes that do not fit in to the network cause external attacks and
internal attacks are carried out by compromised nodes that are part of the network. Since the
invader is previously part of the network, internal attacks are more cruel and hard to notice than
external attacks.

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Study of MANET: Characteristics, Challenges, Application, Routing Protocol and Security Attacks

7.2 Various attacks in MANETS

1. Black hole attack: A black hole attacker first wants to invade into the multicast forwarding set
(e.g., by implementing rushing attack) in order to interrupt data packets of the multicast assembly.
It then drops several or all data packets it receives instead of forwarding them to the next node on
the steering path. This type of attack frequently results in very little packet delivery ratio.
2. Neighbor attack: Upon getting a packet, an intermediary node records its ID in the packet before
forwarding the packet to the subsequent node. An attacker merely forwards the packet without
recording its ID in the packet to Create two nodes that are not within the communication range of
each other believe that they are neighbors (i.e., one hop away from each other), ensuing in a
disrupted route.
3. Jellyfish attack: A jellyfish attacker first desires to break in into the multicast forwarding group. It
then delays data packets unreasonably for a few amount of time before forwarding them. This
outcome in significantly high end-to end delays and thus degrades the performance of real-time
applications.
4. Wormhole attack: An attacker records packets at one position in the network and routes them to a
different location. Routing can be troubled when routing control messages are tunneled. This
tunnel among two colluding attackers is referred as a wormhole. Wormhole attacks are harsh
threats to MANET routing protocols.

8. CONCLUSIONS

We have seen a great development in the field of wireless network (infrastructure based) and in the field
of mobile ad hoc network (infrastructure less network). In this paper, we discuss MANET and its
characteristics ,advantage , applications, challenges, issues ,security attacks and various types of routing
protocol for efficient and effective communication between the mobile nodes participating in a
dynamically establish network of nodes the routing protocols are broadly classified into proactive ,
reactive , hybrid routing protocols .in this paper, a brief description on unicast routing protocols is
provided and how they are better than other routing protocol.

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