2.

1 Basic Concepts of Ad Hoc Networks

central astructure.
infrastructure
without any
Wireless ad hoc network is a network which is formed can using
be carried out using
An ad hoc network
c o m m u n i c a t i o n

the wireless
radio waves. The
could be formed instantly and the
wireless Itlinks used for communiC ion are basea are
based on
devices such aspnd As and mobile
mobile phones to
ommunication

communication technologies. allows wireless PDAs

a t and
any time. The ad hoc

time. Th
at any
establish communication between each other devices anywhere and in Wireless ad
nodes exist
mobile
O IOms
topologies from time to time. The
hocnetwork uses wireless interface to exchange data with 1S nig
ALOHA protocol for
researchers invented the
a n Abramson and his fellow Advanced Research Projects Agency
Wireless network. In 1973, Defense
(DARPA) SDone
DARPA) sponsored a Packet Radio Network (PRNET) to support IOr inu
PRNET uses
was aimed to use mobile devices in
military applications.
..s project scheme t0 access the
4
Combination of ALOHA and Carrier Sense Multinle Access (CSMA)
multi-hoP
Onmon shared wireless channel, DARPA again extended the work to implement
The Internet
wireless networks through the Survivable Radio Networks (SURAN).
ngineering Task Force (IETF) termed mobile ad hoc networks (MANET) working group
s omed a standardized protocols and functional specifications for ad hoc wireless

networks.
2.1.1 Types of Wireless Network
The wireless networks can be broadly classified into two
types
Infrastructure based network
Infrastructure less network
Infrastructure based network: Each node is connected with other node
station. The fixed station is also known as Access Points through a fixed base
based network is cellular network in which base
(APs). An example for infrastructure
station or AP is used as fixed
Each network area is divided into cells and the
base station
equipment.
network coverage which can be used for the provides each cell with the
transmission of high quality voice, data and other
types of messages.

Infrastructure less network: Each node can

fixed infrastructure. Mobile ad communicate with each other
hoc networks and without using any
the examples of Vehicular Ad hoc
infrastructure less networks. In ad hoc Networks (VANETS) are
forward the information in a networks, each node acts as a
multi-hop fashion. router to
2.1.2 Difference Between
Cellular and Ad Hoc
Thedifference between cellular Networks
and ad hoc
networks is given in
Table 2.1.2.
 Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

Cellular Networks
Ad Hoc Wireless Networks
Infrastructurebased
Infrastructure less
wWireless links
Single hop Multi hop wireless links
Guaranteed bandwidth for voice traffic
Shared radio channel
Circuit switched
Packet switched
Seamless ectivity and infrequent path break
Frequent path break
Cost and time of deployment is high
Cost effective deployment
Uses hand overmechanisms
Seamless hand over mechanisms
Table 2.1.2 Difference between Cellular and
Ad Hoc networks
21.3 Applications of Ad Hoc Network

The ad hoc network is mainly used in the areas where the deployment of fixed physical
environment is difficult. The fields where ad hoc networks are mainly used are outlined
below:

Military applications
Emergency services
Rescue operations
o Disaster relief efforts
o Flooded areas

Commercial applications
o Industries
o On line payment
Education

o Conferences
Virtual class rooms
Military applications The ad hoc network is mainly used in this area for exchanging
:
can also be transferred
ntormation between soldiers and safety vehicles etc. The information
to central
monitoring authority.
and
nergency services: Ad hoc network is widely used in search and rescue operations
dso for providing services in fire fighting areas.

base access, on-line payment

Ommercial applications: It is also used in industries for data
for any e-commerce applications from anywhere and at any time.

in universities, schools and colleges are made as

ucation: Setting up of ad hoc networks
virtual class rooms etc.
undatory
for conferences, meetings, lectures,
organizing
 Military applications
2.8 Wireless Sensor Networks

2.8.1 Basic Concepts

which are formed by smal
distributed networks
*CICsS Sensor Networks (WSNs) are
mote.enSor
nodes are
called as
node is also
welght wireless nodes. Each
sensor
the physical parameters
objects for measuring
to monitor the environment or any
yd of objects
and theirmotion.
C C n p e r a f u r e , pressure, humidity,
sound, characteristics
and configuring
network can be done
WSN IS a self-organizing network where set-up
transmission, each node has
human intervention. For data
without requiring any
Lly are small, powerful
and inexpensive
O m an ad hOC network among them. Sensor nodes
multi-hop communication. The coverage area of
nodes. Like MANETs, WSN also performs
antenna. A major
issue of WSN is to
Sensor node is limited due to low energy and simple
maximize the life of the network.
2.8.2 WSN vs. MANET
Differences between these two
WSN can be considered as aspecial type of MANET.
networks (WSN and MANET) are given in Table 2.8.2.
MANET WSN
Parameters
Laptops, palmtops, PDAs, Sensor nodes
Nodes
mobile devices etc

Size of node Little large Small

Power High Limited
High Limited
Memory
Computational capacity High | Limited

Complex computations Possible Impossible

Node density Tens of nodes over an area Thousands of nodes over
an area

2-12 Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks

 WirelesS Ad loC NetworKS

Nodereliability
High |Low
Node failure
Low
Communication
High
Broadcast and point-to-point Broadcast communication
communication
Nodeidentity Posscss global idntities No global identification
Nodemovement
Dynamic Static
Transmission range High Low
Bandwidth
High Order of 10 kbps
Communication protocol Complex computation Simpler
Information flow
Disordered or chaotic Well-structured

Table 2.8.2 WSN Vs. MANET

28.3 Subsystems of Sensor Node
Each sensor node in the sensor network consists of three subsystems:

The sensor subsystem

.The processingsubsystem
Thecommunicationsubsystem
Sensorsubsystem: This subsystem senses the environment.
sensed data.
Processing subsystem: This subsystem performs local computations on the
with
Communication subsystem: This is responsible for exchanging the processed message
neighboring sensor nodes.

Networks
2.8.4 Advantages and Limitations of Sensor
Advantages
networks are listed below.
The various advantages of sensor
network tends to fault
sensor nodes are sensing same event, the sensor
Since many
tolerant.
thereby leads to accurate sensing of events.
The nodes co-operate in communication,
operations : Data dissemination and Data gathering.
Sensor nodes perform two important

Limitations
sensor network are given below.
The various limitations of
from physical attacks
Sensor nodes cannot be protected

Mobile sensors form a dynamic topology

capacity
Possess very little storage
12 Ad Hec and Sensor Networks