International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 05 Issue: 1 | Jan-2018 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 © 2018, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 6.171 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 17 INTRODUCTION TO MANET Sadiya Mirza 1 , Sana Zeba Bakshi 2 1,2 Student M. Tech. 1 st Year, Dept. of Electronics & Communication Engineering, Anjuman college of Engineering & Technology, Maharashtra, India ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract - MANET is an abbreviation for mobile ad hoc network it is also referred to as wireless ad hoc network it is an uninterrupted self-configuring, infrastructure-less network of mobile devices connected without making use of wires. In a MANET architecture, devices can move independently in any direction and therefore changes their links to other devices frequently. Because MANETs are transportable, they utilize wireless connections to interact with different networks. In this article an overview to MANET along with its utilization in wireless systems will be discussed. A brief consideration regarding the types of MANET architectures and its advantages and disadvantages in wireless communication networks is being done in this article. Key Words: Features of MANET, Architecture of MANET, Routing protocols, Challenges, Applications of MANET. 1. INTRODUCTION MANET is an ad hoc network which does not require any infrastructure support for carrying data packets between two nodes. MANET is an ad hoc network for mobile or much simply called as mobile ad hoc network which is a continuous self ordered, infrastructure-less network of mobile devices connected wirelessly. Mobile ad hoc networks possess a flat network infrastructure. It has a shared medium which is highly demandable for radio communication. In MANET architecture every computer or node means any device is a router as well as end host. The nodes or devices in the MANET architecture are in general autonomous. MANET has a dynamic topology architecture which highly promotes mobility. In the MANET architecture, every node also works as a router since they route packets for other nodes. 1.1 FEATURES OF MANET There are various features of MANET as listed below: Partitioned operations Autonomous terminal Multi hop routing Dynamic network topology Fluctuating link capacity Light weight terminals Partitioned operation: The nodes engaged in a MANET should cooperate among themselves. Every node is behaving like a relay. Autonomous Terminal: In MANET architecture every mobile terminal is an autonomous node which may operate as a host or a router. Therefore end points and switches cannot be identified. Multi hop routing: In multi hop MANET transmitting data packets from a source to destination out of direct wireless transmission range the packets are to be transmitted through one or more intermediate nodes. Dynamic network topology: The mobile nodes in the network dynamically create routing between themselves as they move forward forming their own network. Fluctuating link capacity: In MANET one communication path is shared by many sessions. The channel on which the nodes communicate is subjected to noise, fading, and interference, and has less bandwidth than a guided network. In some cases the path between any pair of users can traverse multiple wireless links and the link themselves can be heterogeneous. Light weight terminals: Mostly MANET nodes are mobile devices with less CPU processing capability, small memory size and low power storage. 2. MANET ARCHITECTURAL MODEL The architectural model for MANET preserves the integrity of the IP architecture while allowing for the particularities of MANETs. Fig -1: Architectural view of MANET