Linux and WireLess Mobile AdHoc Networks - MANETs

MANET Software

ZRPd

ZRPd is a full implementation of the Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP) for Linux. It is a compromise between proactive and reactive routing protocols for ad-hoc Wi-Fi networks.

Hipercom Optimized Link State Routing

Optimized Link State Routing is one of several protocols under investigation by the IETF for use in ad-hoc wireless networks, where not only the end users are mobile, but also the routers, services, etc. This is an implementation that makes up a component of the Hipercom project.

NIST Ad-Hoc On Demand Distance Vector Driver

The NIST Implementation of the Ad-Hoc On Demand Distance Vector protocol is a kernel-level driver for the Linux 2.4.x operating system. It supports the ix86, ARM, and MIPS architectures. Ad-Hoc routing protocols support networks in which both end users and routers can move freely while retaining network connections.

UniK OLSR Daemon

The UniK olsrd is an implementation of the Optimized Link State Routing protocol for mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs). The protocol is described in RFC3626. The daemon supports IPv4 and IPv6. A GUI front-end that uses GTK2 is included.

Qolyester

Qolyester is a C++ implementation of the OLSR protocol for mobile wireless ad hoc networks. It is meant to be enhanced with QoS features from the QOLSR research group.

AODV-UU

AODV-UU (Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector Routing, from Uppsala University) is a routing protocol under investigation by the IETF for use in ad-hoc networks, where both end-users and routers are mobile. This implementation supports IPv6 and multicasting and is compliant with AODV Draft v.13.

MIPL Mobile IPv6 for Linux

MIPL Mobile IPv6 for Linux is an implementation of Mobility support in IPv6. Mobility support allows a mobile device to be tracked as it migrates between networks or even ISPs, allowing packets to be forwarded to where the device is currently located. The software is now mostly compliant with RFC 3775.

NRL OLSR

NRL OLSR is the NRL's implementation of the OLSR ad-hoc mobile network routing protocol, using RFC 3626 packet formats. It supports IPv4 and IPv6. Support for Ethereal and NS2 exists but may not be current. NRL's implementation is derived from INRIA's OLSR software router, which is also available.

ad-tolk

ad-tolk enables Wi-Fi enabled machines that are within range of each other to automatically setup their wireless interfaces by calculating IP addresses based on their MAC addresses (in the range 10.0.0.0/8) and joining an ad-hoc cell called "livefolio". Afterwards, all nodes can discover their neighbors and start exchanging text messages without any manual network configuration.

XIAN

XIAN (a cross-layer Interface for wireless ad-hoc networks) is a generic interface for experimenting cross-layer designs with legacy 802.11 networking cards using the MadWifi driver on Linux platforms. It can be used as a service by other network layers or system components to access information about the configuration and performance of MAC/PHY layers. The interface is fully implemented and is available for Linux over the MadWifi 802.11 driver.

Ad-hoc Wireless Distribution System

AWDS (Ad-hoc Wireless Distribution Service) is a layer 2 routing protocol for wireless mesh networks. It provides transparent Ethernet-like access to all participating nodes, thus easily allowing the employment of different higher level protocols like IP (with DHCP), IPv6, AppleTalk, etc.

Babel Router

Babel is a distance-vector routing protocol for IPv6. It is designed to be robust and work efficiently on both wired networks and wireless mesh networks.

ahcpd

Ahcpd is an implementation of the Ad-Hoc Configuration Protocol (AHCP), an IPv6 stateless configuration protocol for cases where standard auto-configuration and DHCPv6 don't work, such as mesh networks.

MANET Hardware

MeshNode

The idea behind meshnode is (as the name suggests) - meshing. Based on OLSR (Optimized Link State Routing protocol) your network get more possibilities than ever before. The main feature of meshing is that every node automatically connects to each other. With this feature you easily can build cost-effective large scale wireless lan networks. Meshing does the dirty work for you - the dynamic routing saves you a lot of work and time because it's done on its own. Meshnode comes with two wireless lan cards which give you the possibility to build a strong infrastructure between the nodes. You can use the second card for what ever you like - for example provinding clients accesspoint services.

MeshCube

The MeshCube is a new hardware platform dedicated to WirelessLAN mesh routing, developed by 4G Systems, Hamburg. With a 400MHz MIPS processor, 64MB RAM and 32MB flash and up to 8 MiniPci cards, it is strong enough to provide excellent security and encryption, and flexible enough for custom applications and modifications.

The MeshCubeDistribution is the Linux distribution running on the MeshCube. It's main features are MeshRouting, autoconfiguration of networking, security (IpSec, VPN) and the reduction in size to fit on the 32MB flash.

Other Resources

• Linux and WLANs
• Linux and WireLess Communities
• Linux applications for wireless access points
• Linux applications for wireless sniffing