Gateway Selection in MANET Based Integrated System: A Survey

[Abstract] Taking advantage of spontaneous and infrastructure⁃less behavior, a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) can be integrated with various networks to extend communication for different types of network services. In the integrated system, to provide inter⁃connection between different networks and provide data aggregation, the design of the gateway is vital. In some integrated networks with multiple gateways, proper gateway selection guarantees desirable QoS and optimization of network resource utilization. However, how to select gateway efficiently is still challenging in the integrated MANET systems with distributed behavior terminals and limited network resources. In this paper, we examine gateway selection problem from different aspects including information discovery behavior, selection criteria and decision⁃making entity. The benefits and drawbacks for each method are illustrated and compared. Based on the discussion, points of considerations are highlighted for future studies.

[Keywords] gateway selection; MANET; integrated network; routing algorithms; QoS