Ant-Based Algorithm for Routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

A group of wireless moving/still nodes establishes the mobile ad hoc network (MANET) that forms a temporary network. There does not exist any centralized access points, infrastructure, or centralized administration for controlling the network. Routing is the process of exchanging the data/control packets to achieve communication among moving nodes. Routing is the biggest challenge in MANET for finding a path between the communicating nodes. Swarm intelligence introduces various protocols based on the moving nature of living creatures to solve the optimization problems like routing. Ant colony algorithm is a specific type of subset of techniques of swarm intelligence in which simple ants have the capability to solve complex problems by the property of cooperation among them. One autonomous ant performs limited, specialized tasks, but the colonies of ants at large exhibit a global intelligent behavior. Stigmergy is the process of indirect communication shown by the ants for exchanging the data. Each ant continuously deposits chemical substance known by the name of pheromone on the path where ant traverses. Other ants have the capability to sense this chemical when they move over a particular path. The routing algorithm based on the ant’s behavior is well scalable, adaptive, and efficient in practice.