Evaluation of open-source software frameworks for high fidelity simulation of cognitive radio networks

High fidelity simulation of cognitive radio networks (CRN) requires a CRN software framework with librairies of components at all layers of the open systems interconnection (OSI) model (e.g. modulation schemes, protocols, routing algorithms) along with realistic channel models for simulating a high number of nodes. At the same time, the CRN software framework should provide interfaces with hardware platforms for testbed evaluation and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL). Unfortunately, there is no such software framework in the research community. This paper studies the combination of some open-source frameworks for high fidelity simulation of CRN. In particular, some challenges are highlighted for the combination of radio simulators (e.g. GNU Radio, CogWave) and network simulators (e.g. OMNeT++, ns-3) at the level of network layer, data link layer and physical layer. Based on this evaluation, new extensions to the CogWave open-source software framework are proposed for high fidelity simulation of CRN.