Performance Analysis of Counter-Based Broadcast Scheme for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Abstract

Abstract-Broadcasting is a technique used for distributing of control packets in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs), where source node diffuses a message to all other nodes in the network. Flooding is the simplest mechanism used for broadcasting in MANETs. Despite its simplicity, it can result in high redundant retransmission, contention and collision, a phenomenon called broadcast storm problem. In view of this, several schemes where proposed with aim to mitigate this problem, among which is the counter based scheme. It relies on counter threshold value for rebroadcast decision. The selection of an appropriate counter is crucial to the performance of the scheme. How, previous studies have focused on the choice of optimal counter threshold-value using network setting with very low traffic load. In this paper, we focus on the effect of the counter threshold value on the performance of counter-based scheme in terms of number saved rebroadcast nodes and reachability using Ns-2 simulation under varying condition of network density and traffic load. The results have shown that an optimal counter threshold is network density dependent.