Internet-based mobile ad hoc networking

Internet-based mobile ad hoc networking is an emerging technology that supp orts self-organizing, mobile networking infrastructures. The technology ena bles an autonomous system of mobile nodes, which can operate in isolation o r be connected to the greater Internet. Mobile ad hoc networks (Manets) are designed to operate in widely varying e nvironments, from forward-deployed military Manets with hundreds of nodes p er mobile domain to applications of low-power sensor networks and other emb edded systems. Before Manet technology can be easily deployed, however, imp rovements must be made in such areas as high-capacity wireless technologies , address and location management, interoperability and security. The authors give an overview of Manet technology and current IETF efforts r eward producing routing and interface definition standards that support it within the IP suite.