JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD MCA II AD-HOC AND SENSOR NETWORKS Previous Question Paper (March/April - 2022 - R20)

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are autonomous, decentralized wireless networks characterized by several key features:

• Dynamic Network Topology: Nodes are free to move independently, causing the network topology to change frequently and unpredictably.
• Autonomous Infrastructure-less Operation: Each node acts as both a host and a router, eliminating the need for centralized administration or fixed infrastructure like base stations.
• Multi-hop Routing: Communication between nodes that are not within direct radio range is achieved through intermediate nodes acting as relays.
• Limited Resource Constraints: Nodes typically rely on batteries and have limited processing power, memory, and bandwidth, necessitating energy-efficient protocols.
• Distributed Operation: Control and management functions are distributed among the nodes, ensuring no single point of failure.
• Fluctuating Link Quality: Wireless links are subject to interference, signal fading, and path loss, leading to variable link capacity.
• Scalability: The network must support varying numbers of nodes while maintaining performance despite the overhead of routing updates.
• Security Vulnerabilities: Due to the open medium and lack of centralized security, MANETs are susceptible to eavesdropping, spoofing, and denial-of-service attacks.

MANETs are highly versatile and find applications in scenarios where traditional infrastructure is unavailable or impractical:

• Military Tactical Operations: Used for battlefield communication, situational awareness, and coordination between soldiers, vehicles, and drones without relying on fixed command centers.
• Disaster Recovery and Emergency Services: Deployed during earthquakes, floods, or fires where existing communication infrastructure is destroyed; they provide rapid, temporary networks for search and rescue teams.
• Collaborative Computing: Facilitates temporary file sharing, data exchange, and collaborative work in conferences, classrooms, or meetings without requiring an access point.
• Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN): Used for environmental monitoring, industrial sensing, and health monitoring where nodes collect and relay data to a sink node.
• Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs): Enables communication between vehicles for traffic management, collision avoidance, and passenger information systems.
• Personal Area Networks (PAN): Supports short-range communication between personal devices like smartphones, tablets, and wearables.
• Remote Area Access: Provides connectivity in rural or remote regions where deploying wired infrastructure is economically unfeasible.