Node Discovery Through a Centralized MANET-Based Approach

Dynamic networks where nodes autonomously join and leave prove critical for scenarios like disaster recovery and military operations. Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANET) provide essential flexibility and enable rapid deployment. The study investigates the challenges posed by legacy routing protocols such as Open Link State Routing (OLSR), AODV, and DSDV under varying mobility conditions, highlighting their limitations i adaptive routing. In response, the research proposes a centralized Software Defined Networking (SDN) approach in order to enhance MANET management, leveraging SDN ability to separate control and data planes for improved Quality of Service (QoS), reduced overhead, and dynamic adaptation to network changes. Comparative analysis across mobility models like Random Walk (RW) and Random Way Point (RWP) assesses SDN performance metrics, including node connectivity and controller efficiency, offering insights into its effectiveness and applicability in diverse MANET environments. The analysis shows that the proposed approach reduces message overhead in mobility scenarios by transitioning nodes to managed mode, while maintaining higher PDR and throughput compared to OLSR, despite slightly higher latency in connections outside local zones.