DRPL: A Distributed Forwarding Strategy for Enhanced P2P Communication in RPL-Based Low-Power and Lossy Networks

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), Low-Power and Lossy Networks (LLNs) have become essential for enabling energy-efficient and low-latency communication. In smart grids, Neighborhood Area Networks (NANs) serve as critical intermediaries between Home Area Networks (HANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs). However, NANs often face constrained resources and unreliable links, underscoring the need for efficient and robust routing protocols. Protocols based on the Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) often face challenges in point-to-point (P2P) communication, such as path redundancy and decreased reliability, due to their dependence on hierarchical upward and downward routing. Moreover, existing enhancements frequently overload the root node, hindering scalability. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes an Optimized Micro-Routing Framework (MicroRF) featuring a Distributed Forwarding Strategy based P2P Route Discovery Method (DRPL). DRPL leverages custom control messages, route prediction, and adaptive forwarding to establish optimal routes without root node intervention. It also integrates a lightweight route repair mechanism for rapid recovery from link failures. Simulation results in Cooja demonstrate that DRPL achieves superior performance compared to existing protocols, particularly in reducing energy consumption and improving reliability. These contributions establish DRPL as a promising and practical solution for efficient P2P communication in LLNs.