An Improved Cluster Based Routing Protocol with Backup Cluster Head for Manets

Mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a reconfigurable network of mobile nodes connected by multi-hop wireless links and capable of operating without any fixed infrastructure support. In order to facilitate communication within such self-creating, self-organizing and self-administrating network, a dynamic routing protocol is needed. The routing protocol performance suffers due to resource constraints and mobility of the nodes. The existing routing challenges in MANETs clustering based protocols suffer frequently with cluster head failure problem, which reduces the cluster stability. This paper proposes, Improved CBRP, a method to develop the cluster stability and in-turn enhances the performance of traditional cluster based routing protocol (CBRP), by electing better cluster head using weighted clustering algorithm and considering some vital routing challenges. Also, proposed protocol suggests a backup cluster head for each cluster, to increase the stability of the cluster in case of unexpected failure of cluster head.