Evaluating Reactive Routing Protocols in MANETs: A Comparative Study of AODV and DSR Using NS-2 Simulation

Abstract

Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) are decentralized, self-configuring wireless networks with dynamic topologies. Routing in MANETs poses significant challenges due to the absence of fixed infrastructure [1], [2]. Reactive routing protocols such as Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) [3] and Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) [4] are widely used for their efficiency in dynamic conditions. This paper presents a comparative analysis of AODV and DSR using NS-2 simulation [15] based on key performance metrics: Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), End-to-End Delay (E2E Delay), Throughput, and Routing Overhead. The study evaluates protocol performance under varying node densities and mobility patterns, providing insights into their strengths and limitations [5], [6]. The findings from the simulation provide a nuanced understanding of the suitability of each protocol for different application scenarios and network environments.