mLab: A Mobile Ad Hoc Network Test Bed

Over the last few years, research in the area of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) has focused on routing protocol performance improvements, security enhancements, power consumption optimizations, and quality of service metrics. The availability of sophisticated network simulation tools, such a NS2 and GloMoSim, has allowed researchers to study MANETs without purchasing the mobile nodes themselves or conducting costly and time-consuming field trial tests [PAPAD, HU, ZAPAT]. While there is an abundance of research based on simulations, actual implementations of ad hoc routing protocols and applications are very limited by comparison. Although proposed application areas benefiting from MANETs range from sensor networks, vehicle safety, military reconnaissance, first responder assistance, smart homes, and factory automation, these application scenarios have remained largely the domain of university researchers or government funded laboratories. This paper presents a wireless MANET test bed currently under development whose goal is to help researchers and developers bridge the gap between simulations and actual MANET deployments.