A highly flexible testbed for studies of ad-hoc network behaviour

Studies of mobile ad-hoc networks are often based on simulation and their underlying, necessarily simplified assumptions of physical reality. In order to analyse the practical problems we built our own hardware and software. The hardware consists of a core Motorola controller and different wired and wireless interfaces like a Bluetooth and a 433/868 MHz RF module. It allows therefore analysing different scenarios: First, the deployment of a pure ad-hoc network using Bluetooth or 433/868 MHz RF modules. Scenarios going beyond this cover the connection of Bluetooth piconets using the complementary RF technology. This overcomes the proximity requirements of Bluetooth scatternets. Finally, hybrid scenarios with some nodes connected to the Internet and providing Web access over a multihop ad-hoc network can be studied. In this paper we present the testbed and solutions realized up to now. These include home automation scenarios as well as support for mobile ad-hoc games.