Analyzing Path Dynamics in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks Using a Smooth Mobility Model

The characteristics of node-pair paths are a primary consideration in the design of routing protocols in mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs). Existing research studies on MANET paths focus on their dynamics in the presence of node mobility and ignore the impact of network configuration such as node density and node transmission range. In this paper, we study MANET paths using a smooth mobility model, which complies with the physical law of smooth motion and is sensitive to the change of node velocity over small timescales. Our study reveals that for paths connecting nodes with slow mobility through a small number of hops, path stability and availability are dominated by network configuration; whereas, for paths connecting nodes with moderate/fast mobility through a large number of hops, they are dominated by node mobility.