A double-manager k-hop clustering algorithm in mobile ad hoc networks

IEEE 802.11 defined two types of wireless networks: infrastructure networks and ad hoc networks. Since ad hoc networks are a kind of networks without access points, efficient routing is important for these networks. A more efficient routing approach involves dividing the network into several clusters by using a clustering algorithm. The purpose of this paper is to investigate a hybrid cluster routing algorithm in mobile ad hoc networks. This investigation proposed a double-manager k-hop clustering algorithm based on the link evaluation. This algorithm not only can elect a more suitable node as the clusterhead but also can reduce the management overheads. Furthermore, this study devised maintenance and backup mechanisms to stabilize network performance in the face of network topology changes. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms other clustering algorithm in terms of number of clusters, overhead of managers and cluster stability.