IPv6 addressing architecture support for ad hoc networks

Next generation mobile communication systems would comprise both WLAN technologies based on cellular like infrastructures and ad hoc networks. Such hybrid networks benefit of an extension of the cellular infrastructure coverage using ad hoc connectivity while offering a global Internet connectivity to ad hoc nodes. In this paper, we present ana6, a new IPv6 addressing architecture in order to be able to support "pure" spontaneous ad hoc networks but also to allow seamless integration between wireless LANs and ad hoc networks. Our approach is based on the concept of node identifiers that is crucial in ad hoc networks. We introduce the ad hoc connector that virtualizes several ad hoc network interfaces into a single addressable object and we present its implementation in IPv6. Moreover, we present some benefits of our architecture when dealing with hybrid networks.