Location Aided Routing

Location Aided Routing (LAR) is a routing protocol used in wireless networks, particularly in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) and vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). The main goal of LAR is to improve the routing efficiency by utilizing the location information of nodes in the network. This protocol is designed to reduce the routing overhead and improve the packet delivery ratio in mobile networks. In LAR, each node is equipped with a GPS device or other locationing technology to obtain its current location. This location information is used to determine the best route for forwarding packets to the destination node.

Overview of Location Aided Routing

Location Aided Routing is based on the concept of using the location information of nodes to make routing decisions. The protocol uses a combination of proactive and reactive routing techniques to achieve efficient routing. In the proactive approach, each node periodically sends its location information to its neighbors, which helps to maintain a location table at each node. The reactive approach is used to handle the routing of packets, where the source node uses the location table to determine the best route to the destination node. LAR also uses a request zone to limit the scope of the route request, which helps to reduce the routing overhead.

Key Components of Location Aided Routing

The key components of Location Aided Routing include:

• Location Service: This component is responsible for providing the location information of nodes in the network. The location service can be implemented using GPS or other locationing technologies.
• Location Table: Each node maintains a location table that contains the location information of its neighbors. The location table is used to determine the best route to the destination node.
• Request Zone: The request zone is used to limit the scope of the route request. The request zone is defined as a rectangular region that includes the source node, the destination node, and the intermediate nodes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Location Aided Routing

Location Aided Routing has several advantages, including:

• Improved Routing Efficiency: LAR reduces the routing overhead by limiting the scope of the route request and using the location information to determine the best route.
• Improved Packet Delivery Ratio: LAR improves the packet delivery ratio by using the location information to determine the best route and avoiding the use of stale routes.

However, LAR also has some disadvantages, including:

• Increased Complexity: LAR requires the use of locationing technologies, such as GPS, which can increase the complexity of the network.
• Increased Energy Consumption: LAR requires the use of locationing technologies, which can increase the energy consumption of nodes.

Performance Analysis of Location Aided Routing

The performance of Location Aided Routing is evaluated using metrics such as routing overhead, packet delivery ratio, and end-to-end delay. The routing overhead is measured as the number of routing packets transmitted per second, while the packet delivery ratio is measured as the ratio of packets delivered to the destination node to the total number of packets transmitted. The end-to-end delay is measured as the average delay experienced by packets in the network.

Future Implications of Location Aided Routing

Location Aided Routing has several future implications, including:

• Integration with Other Routing Protocols: LAR can be integrated with other routing protocols, such as AODV and DSR, to improve the routing efficiency and packet delivery ratio.
• Use in Emerging Networks: LAR can be used in emerging networks, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G networks, to improve the routing efficiency and packet delivery ratio.