Routing in ad hoc network using ant colony optimization

Abstract

The ad hoc networks have dynamic topology and are infrastructure less. So it is required to implement a new network protocol for providing efficient end to end communication based on TCP/IP structure. There is a need to re-define or modify the functions of each layer of TCP/IP model to provide end to end communication between nodes. The mobility of the nodes and the limited resources are the main reason for this change. The main challenge in ad hoc networks is routing. Due to the mobility of the nodes in the ad hoc networks, routing becomes very difficult. Ant based algorithms are suitable for routing in ad hoc networks due to its dynamic nature and adaptive behavior. There are number of routing algorithms based on the concept of ant colony optimizations. It is quite difficult to determine the best ant based algorithm for routing as these algorithms perform differently under various circumstances such as the traffic distribution and network topology. In this paper, the overview of such routing algorithms is given. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.