Dynamic Address Configuration in Mobile Ad hoc Networks

The majority of routing protocols for ad hoc networks assume that mobile nodes are configured a priori with unique IP addresses before they enter a network; however, not all nodes have pre-assigned static IP addresses. Therefore, dynamic address assignment is a desirable feature for deploying mobile ad hoc networks. Typically, dynamic configuration in a wired network is accomplished by using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). In mobile ad hoc networks, however, there is no fixed infrastructure and nodes do not have access to a centralized server to acquire IP addresses. Further, due to node mobility, network partitions and merges are frequent occurrences. Such events create the possibility of duplicate addresses within the network. Therefore, a centralized approach cannot be applied in these networks; a distributed and dynamic mechanism is needed for nodes to acquire and maintain a unique IP address in mobile ad hoc networks. This paper presents an address autoconfiguration protocol to provide address assignment to mobile nodes during the formation and maintenance of ad hoc networks. Simulation results show that mobile nodes can acquire unique IP addresses within a short time with minimum overhead, and the protocol operates correctly and quickly to detect network partitions and merges.