A Survey on the Applications of MANET

This report examined the applications of MANET nowadays. The report not only reviews the pure general-purpose MANET, but also other specified MANETs: mesh networks, opportunistic networks, vehicular ad hoc networks and wireless networks. We can see that, although pure general-purpose MANET does not yet exist in the real world, the multihop ad hoc networking paradigm was successfully applied in several classes of networks that are penetrating the mass market. 1. Pure general purpose MANET The mostly discussed application scenario for pure general-purpose MANET is Battlefield or disaster-recovery networks. However, these kinds of networks have not yet achieved the envisaged impact in terms of real world implementation and industrial deployment. 1.1. Limits of pure general-purpose MANET research 1.1.1. USERS’ PERSPECTIVE Generally, MANET is justified by the possibility of building a network where no infrastructure exists, or to have a “free” network where users can communicate without cost, provided that the node density is sufficient. However, reports about MANET perception from the users’ perspective are missing. The users’ evaluation indicates the following major problems in pure general purpose MANET: • Users’ motivations for using large-scale MANET are not clear. • Application scenarios able to attract user interest are missing. • There is a lack of effective MANET implementations that can be used by non-expert users. • Mesh network is a more pragmatic approach to build multihop ad hoc networks. 1.1.2. TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE Although MANET research has been going on for some time, there are relatively few experiences with real ad hoc networks. The lack of accuracy in most MANET simulation studies in one or more of the previous points drastically reduces the credibility of MANET research. Here are the most common issues in MANET simulation that may result in the lack of realism in simulation studies. Simulation Modeling Simulation Model Solution Analysis of the Simulation Output