Internet Access and QoS in Ad Hoc Networks

It is likely that the increased popularity of wireless local area networks (WLANs) together with the continuous technological advances in wireless communication, also increase the interest for ad hoc networks. An ad hoc network is a wireless, autonomous, infrastructure-less network composed of stations that communicate with each other directly in a peer-to-peer fashion. When discussing mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs), we often refer to an ad hoc network where the stations cooperate in forwarding packets on behalf of each other to allow communication beyond their transmission range over multi-hop paths. In order to realize the practical benefits of ad hoc networks, two challenges (among others) need to be considered: distributed quality of service (QoS) guarantees and multi-hop Internet access. This thesis presents conceivable solutions to both of these problems. The first two papers focus on the network layer and consider the provisioning of Internet access to ad hoc networks whereas the last two papers focus on the data link layer and investigate the provisioning of QoS to ad hoc networks. The first paper studies the interconnection between a MANET and the Internet. In addition, it evaluates three approaches for gateway discovery, which can be initiated by the gateway (proactive method), by the mobile station (reactive method) or by mixing these two approaches (hybrid method). The second paper also studies Internet access for MANETs, but with focus on micro mobility, i.e. mobile stations moving from one gateway to another. In particular, it evaluates a solution that allows mobile stations to access the Internet and roam from gateway to gateway. The third paper, gives an overview of the medium access mechanisms in IEEE 802.11 and their QoS limitations. Moreover, it proposes an enhancement to the contention-free medium access mechanism of IEEE 802.11e to provide QoS guarantees in WLANs operating in ad hoc network configuration. The fourth paper continues the work from the third paper by enhancing the scheme and dealing with the problems that occur due to hidden stations. Furthermore, it discusses how to deal with the problems that occur when moving from single-hop ad hoc networks (i.e. WLANs in ad hoc network configuration) to multi-hop ad hoc networks

On secure communication in integrated internet and heterogeneous multi-hop wireless networks.

Integration of the Internet with a Cellular Network, WMAN, WLAN, and MANET presents an exceptional promise by having co-existence of conventional WWANs/WMANs/WLANs with wireless ad hoc networks to provide ubiquitous communication. We call such integrated networks providing internet accessibility for mobile users as heterogeneous multi-hop wireless networks where the Internet and wireless infrastructure such as WLAN access points (APs) and base stations (BSs) constitute the backbone for various emerging wireless networks (e.g., multi-hop WLAN and ad hoc networks. Earlier approaches for the Internet connectivity either provide only unidirectional connectivity for ad hoc hosts or cause high overhead as well as delay for providing full bi-directional connections. In this dissertation, a new protocol is proposed for integrated Internet and ad hoc networks for supporting bi-directional global connectivity for ad hoc hosts. In order to provide efficient mobility management for mobile users in an integrated network, a mobility management protocol called multi-hop cellular IP (MCIP) has been proposed to provide a micro-mobility management framework for heterogeneous multi-hop network. The micro-mobility is achieved by differentiating the local domain from the global domain. At the same time, the MCIP protocol extends Mobile IP protocol for providing macro-mobility support between local domains either for single hop MSs or multi-hop MSs. In the MCIP protocol, new location and mobility management approaches are developed for tracking mobile stations, paging, and handoff management. This dissertation also provides a security protocol for integrated Internet and MANET to establish distributed trust relationships amongst mobile infrastructures. This protocol protects communication between two mobile stations against the attacks either from the Internet side or from wireless side. Moreover, a secure macro/micro-mobility protocol (SM3P) have been introduced and evaluated for preventing mobility-related attacks either for single-hop MSs or multi-hop MSs. In the proposed SM3P, mobile IP security has been extended for supporting macro-mobility across local domains through the process of multi-hop registration and authentication. In a local domain, a certificate-based authentication achieves the effective routing and micro-mobility protection from a range of potential security threats

Dynamic wireless mobile framework for distributed collaborative real-time information generation and control systems

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have only recently discovered the exciting possibilities in the nomadic and ubiquitous computing space to build a new generation of information systems by allowing the vehicle to act both as a carrier and consumer of wireless (and thus omnipresent) information. Wide deployment of such ITS systems may eventually allow for more dynamic and efficient transportation systems, which can contribute in several ways towards greater economic growth whilst respecting environmental sustainability. A great number of researchers have dedicated considerable time and resources to tackling traffic related issues by utilising the new wireless capabilities enabled by ITS; such initiatives cover a wide range of applications such as safety, knowledge sharing and infotainment. Indicative of the extent of such efforts is the plethora of research projects initiated by many national and multi-national organisations such as the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. To achieve their goals, proposed solutions from such organisations depend on the development and deployment of intelligent wireless mobile communication systems, where data dissemination issues make the prospect of efficient and effective communication a challenging proposition. Presently, Car-to-Car and Car-to-Infrastructure communications are two distinct avenues that make possible efficient and reliable delivery of messages via direct radio links in traffic areas. In all cases, high quality of communication performance is desirable for a communication system composed mostly of roaming participants; such a system needs to be dynamic, flexible and infrastructure-less. Consequently, Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET)-based networks are a natural fit to ITS

Mobile ad hoc networks for intelligent systems

Advances in wireless technology and portable computing along with demands for high user mobility have provided a major promotion toward the development of ad hoc networks. Mobile ad hoc networks feature dynamic topology, self-organization, limited bandwidth and battery power of a node. They do not rely on specialized routers for path discovery and traffic routing. Research on ad hoc networks has been extensively investigated in the past few years and related work has focused on many of the layers of the communications architecture. This research intends to investigate applications of MANET for intelligent systems, including intelligent transportation system (ITS), sensor network and mobile intelligent robot network, and propose some approaches to topology management, link layer multiple access and routing algorithms. Their performance is evaluated by theoretical analysis and off-the-shelf simulation tools. Most current research on ad hoc networks assumes the availability of IEEE 802.11. However, the RTS/CTS protocol of 802.11 still leads to packet collision which in turn decreases the network throughput and lifetime. For sensor networks, sensors are mostly battery operated. Hence, resolving packet collision may improve network lifetime by saving valuable power. Using space and network diversity combination, this work proposes a new packet separation approach to packet collision caused by masked nodes. Inter-vehicle communication is a key component of ITS and it is also called vehicular ad hoc network. VANET has many features different from regular MANETs in terms of mobility, network size and connectivity. Given rapid topology changes and network partitioning, this work studies how to organize the numerous vehicular nodes and establish message paths between any pair of vehicular nodes if they are not apart too far away. In urban areas, the inter-vehicle communication has different requirements and constraints than highway environments. The proposed position-based routing strategy for VANETs utilizes the traffic pattern in city environments. Packets are forwarded based on traffic lights timing sequence and the moving direction of relaying vehicles. A multicast protocol is also introduced to visualize the real time road traffic with customized scale. Only vehicles related to a source node\u27s planned trajectory will reply the query packet. The visualized real time traffic information therefore helps the driver make better decision in route planning when traffic congestion happens. Nowadays robots become more and more powerful and intelligent. They can take part in operations in a cooperative manner which makes distributed control necessary. Ad hoc robot communication network is still fresh field for researchers working on networking technology. This work investigates some key issues in robot ad hoc network and evaluate the challenges while establishing robot ad hoc networks

Integrated Architecture for Configuration and Service Management in MANET Environments

Esta tesis nos ha permitido trasladar algunos conceptos teóricos de la computación ubicua a escenarios reales, identificando las necesidades específicas de diferentes tipos de aplicaciones. Con el fin de alcanzar este objetivo, proponemos dos prototipos que proporcionan servicios sensibles al contexto en diferentes entornos, tales como conferencias o salas de recuperación en hospitales. Estos prototipos experimentales explotan la tecnología Bluetooth para ofrecer información basada en las preferencias del usuario. En ambos casos, hemos llevado a cabo algunos experimentos con el fin de evaluar el comportamiento de los sistemas y su rendimento. También abordamos en esta tesis el problema de la autoconfiguración de redes MANET basadas en el estándar 802.11 a través de dos soluciones novedosas. La primera es una solución centralizada que se basa en la tecnología Bluetooth, mientras la segunda es una solución distribuida que no necesita recurrir a ninguna tecnología adicional, ya que se basa en el uso del parámetro SSID. Ambos métodos se han diseñado para permitir que usuarios no expertos puedan unirse a una red MANET de forma transparente, proporcionando una configuración automática, rápida, y fiable de los terminales. Los resultados experimentales en implementaciones reales nos han permitido evaluar el rendimiento de las soluciones propuestas y demostrar que las estaciones cercanas se pueden configurar en pocos segundos. Además, hemos comparado ambas soluciones entre sí para poner de manifiesto las diferentes ventajas y desventajas en cuanto a rendimento. La principal contribución de esta tesis es EasyMANET, una plataforma ampliable y configurable cuyo objetivo es automatizar lo máximo posible las tareas que afectan a la configuración y puesta en marcha de redes MANET, de modo que su uso sea más simple y accesible.Cano Reyes, J. (2012). Integrated Architecture for Configuration and Service Management in MANET Environments [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/14675Palanci

Supporting Internet Access and Quality of Service in Distributed Wireless Ad Hoc Networks

In this era of wireless hysteria, with continuous technological advances in wireless communication and new wireless technologies becoming standardized at a fast rate, we can expect an increased interest for wireless networks, such as ad hoc and mesh networks. These networks operate in a distributed manner, independent of any centralized device. In order to realize the practical benefits of ad hoc networks, two challenges (among others) need to be considered: distributed QoS guarantees and multi-hop Internet access. In this thesis we present conceivable solutions to both of these problems. An autonomous, stand-alone ad hoc network is useful in many cases, such as search and rescue operations and meetings where participants wish to quickly share information. However, an ad hoc network connected to the Internet is even more desirable. This is because Internet plays an important role in the daily life of many people by offering a broad range of services. In this thesis we present AODV+, which is our solution to achieve this network interconnection between a wireless ad hoc network and the wired Internet. Providing QoS in distributed wireless networks is another challenging, but yet important, task mainly because there is no central device controlling the medium access. In this thesis we propose EDCA with Resource Reservation (EDCA/RR), which is a fully distributed MAC scheme that provides QoS guarantees by allowing applications with strict QoS requirements to reserve transmission time for contention-free medium access. Our scheme is compatible with existing standards and provides both parameterized and prioritized QoS. In addition, we present the Distributed Deterministic Channel Access (DDCA) scheme, which is a multi-hop extension of EDCA/RR and can be used in wireless mesh networks. Finally, we have complemented our simulation studies with real-world ad hoc and mesh network experiments. With the experience from these experiments, we obtained a clear insight into the limitations of wireless channels. We could conclude that a wise design of the network architecture that limits the number of consecutive wireless hops may result in a wireless mesh network that is able to satisfy users’ needs. Moreover, by using QoS mechanisms like EDCA/RR or DDCA we are able to provide different priorities to traffic flows and reserve resources for the most time-critical applications

Models and Protocols for Resource Optimization in Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless mesh networks are built on a mix of fixed and mobile nodes interconnected via wireless links to form a multihop ad hoc network. An emerging application area for wireless mesh networks is their evolution into a converged infrastructure used to share and extend, to mobile users, the wireless Internet connectivity of sparsely deployed fixed lines with heterogeneous capacity, ranging from ISP-owned broadband links to subscriber owned low-speed connections. In this thesis we address different key research issues for this networking scenario. First, we propose an analytical predictive tool, developing a queuing network model capable of predicting the network capacity and we use it in a load aware routing protocol in order to provide, to the end users, a quality of service based on the throughput. We then extend the queuing network model and introduce a multi-class queuing network model to predict analytically the average end-to-end packet delay of the traffic flows among the mobile end users and the Internet. The analytical models are validated against simulation. Second, we propose an address auto-configuration solution to extend the coverage of a wireless mesh network by interconnecting it to a mobile ad hoc network in a transparent way for the infrastructure network (i.e., the legacy Internet interconnected to the wireless mesh network). Third, we implement two real testbed prototypes of the proposed solutions as a proof-of-concept, both for the load aware routing protocol and the auto-configuration protocol. Finally we discuss the issues related to the adoption of ad hoc networking technologies to address the fragility of our communication infrastructure and to build the next generation of dependable, secure and rapidly deployable communications infrastructures

Mitigate denial of service attacks in mobile ad-hoc networks

Wireless networks are proven to be more acceptable by users compared with wired networks for many reasons, namely the ease of setup, reduction in running cost, and ease of use in different situations such as disasters recovery. A Mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is as an example of wireless networks. MANET consists of a group of hosts called nodes which can communicate freely via wireless links. MANET is a dynamic topology, self-configured, non-fixed infrastructure, and does not have any central administration that controls all nodes among the network. Every device, used in day-to-day living, is assumed to be a network device, and it is managed using Internet Protocols (IP). Information on every electronic device is collected using infrared sensors, voice or video sensors, Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID), etc. The new wireless networks and communications paradigm known as Internet of Things (IoT) is introduced which refers to the range of multiple interconnected devices which communicate and exchange data between one another. MANET becomes prone to many attacks mainly due to its specifications and challenges such as limited bandwidth, nodes mobility and limited energy. This research study focuses specifically on detecting Denial of Service attack (DoS) in MANET. The main purpose of DoS attack is to deprive legitimate users from using their authenticated services such as network resources. Thus, the network performance would degrade and exhaust the network resources such as computing power and bandwidth considerably which lead the network to be deteriorated. Therefore, this research aims to detect DoS attacks in both Single MANET (SM) and Multi MANETs (MM). A novel Monitoring, Detection, and Rehabilitation (MrDR) method is proposed in order to detect DoS attack in MANET. The proposed method is incorporating trust concept between nodes. Trust value is calculated in each node to decide whether the node is trusted or not. To address the problem when two or more MANETs merge to become one big MANET, the novel technique of Merging Using MrDR (MUMrDR) is also applied to detect DoS attack. As the mobility of nodes in MANET, the chance of MANETs merge or partition occurs. Both centralised and decentralised trust concepts are used to deal with IP address conflict and the merging process is completed by applying the MUMrDR method to detect DoS attacks in MM. The simulation results validate the effectiveness in the proposed method to detect different DoS attacks in both SM and MM