Abstract
The deployment of mobile ad-hoc networks involves several configuration steps, which complicate research efforts and hinder user interest. This problem prompts for new approaches offering full autoconfiguration of terminals at the different network layers involved. In this paper we propose a novel solution for the autoconfiguration of IEEE 802.11 based MANETs that relies on SSID parameter embedding. Our solution allows users to join an existing MANET without resorting to any additional technology, and even in the presence of encrypted communications. Experimental testbed results using a real implementation of the proposed solution show that it introduces significant improvements compared to other existing solutions, allowing nearby stations to be configured in about two seconds, and also enabling multi-hop dissemination of configuration data to take place quickly and efficiently.
Highlights
Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) [9] are a networking paradigm where terminals communicate wirelessly and in a multi-hop fashion, not requiring any infrastructure of support
In this paper we propose a solution that is able to solve the MANET autoconfiguration problem described above in a very efficient and straightforward manner, setting up all the different parameters associated with the network layers involved in the process (i.e., PHY, medium access control (MAC) and network layers)
We find that the proposed autoconfiguration system based on service set identifier (SSID) parameter embedding offers significant improvements over a pre-existent solution (BlueWi), representing a significant step forward in the state-of-the-art within the field of MANET autoconfiguration
Summary
Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) [9] are a networking paradigm where terminals communicate wirelessly and in a multi-hop fashion, not requiring any infrastructure of support. Villanueva et al / Seamless MANET autoconfiguration through enhanced 802.11 beaconing set: (i) the IP version used – IPv4 or IPv6-, (ii) the station’s IP address, (iii) the network mask, (iv) the routing protocol used, and (v) the gateway to the Internet Concerning the latter two parameters, notice that routing protocols are essential in MANETs to make multi-hop communication possible [2,4]; these protocols usually offer gateway information either automatically or upon user request. We consider that there are mainly two barriers preventing distributed node configuration to be effective: on one hand, a wireless link must be established to share all the configuration parameters required to configure the wireless link itself; on the other hand, the fact that wireless communications are easy to intercept typically requires encryption to be adopted, which further complicates the configuration process if the encryption key itself is one of the configuration parameters required Notice that in both cases we have a variant of the bootstrapping problem, which is typically complex to solve.
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