WiMsh: a simple and efficient tool for simulating IEEE 802.16 wireless mesh networks in ns-2

Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) are two-tier wireless multihop networks. The top tier is made of wireless routers, which provide access to the wireless clients in the bottom tier. One technology for enabling multi-hop communication in the top tier is IEEE 802.16, which includes a mesh mode, in addition to the Point-to-Multipoint mode for cellular networks. As is often the case with wireless networks, simulation is often employed as the primary means of investigation. There are several network simulation tools, both commercial and free-of-charge, with IEEE 802.16 PMP support. However, the MAC protocol designed for mesh mode is substantially different from that for PMP operation, which creates the need for a specific simulation tool. In this paper we describe a simulation module, called WiMsh, than enables simulation of IEEE 802.16 wireless mesh networks with the popular Network Simulator 2. We have made publicly available WiMsh in October 2007 as open source software.