Abstract: A routing method for supporting ad-hoc mobile communications within a radio communications network. The network comprises a plurality of mobile hosts including a source mobile host and a destination mobile host, and a plurality of radio communications links connecting together with mobile hosts. The method comprises measuring the stability of the communications links between neighbouring mobile hosts using an associativity based characteristic and selecting a communications route through the network from the source mobile host to the destination mobile host based on the stability of the communications links. The associativity characteristic is measured by each mobile host periodically transmitting and receiving identifier beacons (ticks) and updating the status of its corresponding links. The greater the number of ticks associated with a given link, the greater its stability.