A reactive random graph (RRG) model for multicast routing in MANETs

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) emerge as one of the most attractive technologies in radio networks. They are complex networks that are difficult to analyze due to their unpredicted and random high rate topological changes. Bandwidth limitations in such networks allows multicast to be an important routing solution, which reduces the communication cost via providing efficient saving in bandwidth and network resources. In this paper, we study the random graph as a model of such complex networks and we derive an analytical model for our proposed source routing-based multicast protocol (SRMP). This model, named reactive random graph (RRG), is investigated from the random graph theory, exploiting the phase transition behavior from the percolation theory. Based on our RRG model, we analyze critical properties in SRMP. Our main goal is to study and balance the tradeoff between multicast group connectivity and the optimum use of resources through minimizing the communication graph size. Useful results are drawn out through our work, providing us with significant factors for enhancing the performance of SRMP