Energy-based routing optimization in MANET: Cross-layer benefits

Obviously, the energy is one of the important metrics to consider when designing communication protocols for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). In this paper, we demonstrate the importance of considering energy saving in MANETs. Our analysis are based on the comparison of two energy-based mechanisms called E-AODV, an energy consumption rate-based routing protocol, and F-AODV, a cross-layer-based routing protocol. We investigate the trends and the challenges on designing cross-layer communication protocols for MANETs. Indeed, we study the simulation output obtained with and without considering layer interconnections. These results show that the performance of the layer cooperation paradigm depends on the network characteristics and the application constraints. Our remarks lead to a description of a guideline and recommendations for addressing layer interaction in MANETs.