A multi-rate routing protocol with connection entropy for mobile ad hoc networks

In Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs), when mobile nodes move to another location, the relative distance of communicating nodes will directly affects the data rate of transmission. The further distance between two communicating nodes is, the lower rate that they can use for transferring data. The connection certainty of a link also changes because a node may move closer or far away out of communication range of other nodes. Taking into account those issues, this paper proposes a new routing metric for MANETs. The new metric consider both link weight and route stability that be defined in relation with connection entropy. The problem of determining the best route is subsequently formulated as the constrained minimization of an object function formed as a linear combination of the link weight and and the uncertainty of connection of that link. The simulation results show that proposed routing metric improves end to end throughput and reduces the percentage of link breakage and route reparation.