A review of current routing protocols for ad hoc underwater acoustic networks

Abstract

It is well known that underwater acoustic communications are unlike radio communications, where data are transmitted via electromagnetic waves. In contrast, acoustic waves are used in underwater channels, so communications in an underwater acoustic environment must overcome the combination of extreme conditions that adversely impact throughput, latency, and capacity. In underwater acoustic networks the physical layer considerations include multipath distortion, signal attenuation, frequency-selective fading, and long propagation delay. Additionally, the delay also severely affects network layer protocols that must provide efficient routing of traffic through the network. This paper studies and investigates what are the best routing protocols that give better performance for underwater acoustic networks using built-in routing protocols in the NS2 and the developed media access protocol for underwater acoustic networks. The developed system will be used extensively in complex simulations to contribute to ad hoc underwater acoustic networks that maximize throughput and reliability, and minimize delay and power consumption.