Abstract: Mobility in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) can be extended by using fixed network resources to support MANET-level communication between a traveling MANET node and the remainder of the MANET. The IPv6 protocol is used over the fixed network resources to support the MANET-level communication, and mobility-supporting features of the IPv6 protocol are exploited without modifying the IPv6 protocol.

Abstract: For use in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), a first MANET node for aggregating route cost information associated with a first route from a source MANET node to a destination MANET node. The first MANET node comprises: 1) a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for wirelessly communicating with other MANET nodes; and 2) a controller for receiving incoming data packets from the RF transceiver and sending outgoing data packets to the RF transceiver. The controller receives a Route Request (RREQ) message generated by the source MANET node and retrieves initial route cost information from the RREQ message. The initial route cost information comprises an RF link cost parameter for a preceding RF link between the first MANET node and the source MANET node and a node cost parameter for a preceding MANET node between the first MANET node and the source MANET node.

Abstract: A first MANET node that collects route information associated with a first route from a source MANET node to a destination MANET node in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). The first MANET node comprises: 1) a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for wirelessly communicating with other MANET nodes according to an ad hoc on-demand vector (AODV) protocol; and 2) a controller for receiving incoming data packets from the RF transceiver and sending outgoing data packets to the RF transceiver. The controller receives a Path Marker Request message generated by the source MANET node and retrieves first route topology data associated with the first route from the first Path Marker Request message. The route first topology data identifies all intermediate MANET nodes in the first route coupling the first MANET node to the source MANET node.

Abstract: For use in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET), a first MANET node for routing data packets using Layer 2 information. The first MANET node comprises: 1) a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for wirelessly communicating with other MANET nodes; and 2) a controller for receiving incoming data packets from the RF transceiver and sending outgoing data packets to the RF transceiver. The controller receives a first data packet from an Internet protocol (IP) layer associated with the first MANET node, determines a first medium access control (MAC) layer address associated with the first data packet, and adds the first MAC layer address to the first data packet.