Research And Implementation Of Multi-Channel Simulation Model On NS2

Network simulation has been one of the most important methods to research network technology. As multi-channel communication protocol becomes a hot research area with the fast development of wireless communications, it results in much more requirement of multi-channel protocol simulation. Network Simulator 2 (NS2) is one of the most widely used and approved simulation tools, but it currently does not provide native support for multi-channel simulation. However, if NS2 could provide the capability to simulate multi-channel protocols, it would be much better to improve the protocol research and popularize the research findings. Thus, this paper proposes a NS2 multi-channel simulation model which can be easily used in various scenarios by investigation on related multi-channel protocols and NS2 multi-channel simulation extensions.Firstly, this paper discusses the typical multi-channel protocols and their classifications, as well as introduces the basic characteristics and structure of NS2 by explaining its MobileNode model, important components, and basic working procedure for wireless network simulation. This paper also analyzes the informed researches on NS2 multi-channel protocol simulation, especially the Ramon and MMSM extension, by indicating their design goal, implement way, structure of MobileNode model and suitable scenarios.Secondly, this paper summarizes two important simulation attributes through the simulation perspective, the Network Interface Per Node and Channel Per Network Interface, and analyzes the multi-channel protocols and existed simulation extensions using these two attributes. Then, this paper proposes the NS2 multi-channel simulation unified model as a proper solution based on the analysis above. The unified model combines the simulation functions of Ramon and MMSM extensions into one model, and further implements functions for more comprehensive multi-interface multi-channel simulaiton.Finally, this paper descibies the simulation functional requirements, structure design and implementation of the unified model in detail, and validates the multi-channel simulation functions by network throughput and sending/receiving number of packets with various simulation scenarios. The result approves that the unified model has implemented the simulation functions of single-interface multi-channel and multi-interface multi-channel successfully which can enhance the simulation capability of NS2 and make more contributions to the mutli-channel protocol research.