Router handoff: a preemptive route repair strategy for AODV

Link failure caused by node mobility is a common feature of multi-hop, wireless ad hoc networks. With a reactive routing protocol such as AODV (ad hoc on-demand distance vector), this leads to increased delay and routing overheads while route repair procedures are carried out. We present a strategy called router handoff wherein a node that detects one of its links weakening preemptively hands off routing information to a suitably situated node. This results in routing around the weak link and prevents the route from being broken. Our simulation results show that this approach leads to increased throughput and reduced routing overheads in most cases.