How to Begin Implementing a Wireless Communication in NS3

To begin executing a Wireless Communication project utilising NS3 environment that wants to replicate the wireless networks such as WiFi, LTE, 5G, or MANETs. Below is a detailed mechanism to get started:

Steps to Begin Implementing a Wireless Communication Projects in NS3

Step 1: Understand Wireless Communication Basics

1. Wireless Communication Types:
   • WiFi: 802.11 standards for local-area interaction.
   • LTE/5G: Cellular networks for broad-area coverage.
   • Ad Hoc Networks: MANETs or VANETs.
   • IoT: Low-power communication such as Zigbee.
2. Key Components:
   • Nodes: It denotes the devices like APs, UEs, and routers.
   • Channel: Wireless medium for interaction.
   • Protocols: Describe thee routing and data handling.
3. Use Cases:
   • Routing in MANETs.
   • Handover simulation within cellular networks.
   • Performance analysis of WiFi or LTE.

Step 2: Install ns3 and Required Modules

1. Download ns3:
   • We should set up and download ns3 on the system.
2. Enable Required Modules:
   • It offers support for wireless communication to allow necessary components:

./waf configure –enable-modules=wifi,lte,point-to-point,mobility,internet

./waf build

1. Verify Installation:
   • Execute example scripts for confirming set up:

./waf –run wifi-simple-infra

./waf –run lte-simple

Step 3: Define the Project Scope

• Scenarios:
  • WiFi network including numerous access points and clients.
  • MANET with dynamic routing protocols.
  • LTE network with handovers among the base stations.
• Metrics:
  • Estimate the performance parameters such as throughput, latency, packet delivery ratio (PDR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Step 4: Set Up the Network Topology

1. Create Nodes:
   • Describe wireless nodes with clients, APs, eNodeBs:

NodeContainer wifiStaNodes, wifiApNodes;

wifiStaNodes.Create(10); // 10 stations

wifiApNodes.Create(1);  // 1 access point

1. Set Up Mobility:
   • We can set up mobility for nodes:

MobilityHelper mobility;

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::RandomWalk2dMobilityModel”,

“Bounds”, RectangleValue(Rectangle(-100, 100, -100, 100)));

mobility.Install(wifiStaNodes);

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);

mobility.Install(wifiApNodes);

Step 5: Configure Wireless Communication

1. WiFi Setup:
   • Set WiFi access points and stations in NS3 environment:

YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();

YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();

wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());

WifiHelper wifi;

wifi.SetRemoteStationManager(“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);

WifiMacHelper wifiMac;

Ssid ssid = Ssid(“ns3-wifi”);

wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::StaWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid));

NetDeviceContainer staDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, wifiStaNodes);

wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::ApWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid));

NetDeviceContainer apDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, wifiApNodes);

1. LTE Setup:
   • For cellular networks, we need to utilize LTE module:

Ptr<LteHelper> lteHelper = CreateObject<LteHelper>();

Ptr<PointToPointEpcHelper> epcHelper = CreateObject<PointToPointEpcHelper>();

lteHelper->SetEpcHelper(epcHelper);

NodeContainer enbNodes, ueNodes;

enbNodes.Create(1);

ueNodes.Create(10);

NetDeviceContainer enbDevices = lteHelper->InstallEnbDevice(enbNodes);

NetDeviceContainer ueDevices = lteHelper->InstallUeDevice(ueNodes);

lteHelper->Attach(ueDevices, enbDevices.Get(0));

1. Routing and IP Configuration:
   • Allocate an IP addresses to devices:

InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(wifiStaNodes);

internet.Install(wifiApNodes);

Ipv4AddressHelper ipv4;

ipv4.SetBase(“192.168.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

ipv4.Assign(staDevices);

ipv4.Assign(apDevices);

Step 6: Add Applications

1. Traffic Generators:
   • Replicate the traffic that are generated by OnOff or PacketSink applications:

uint16_t port = 9;

Address apAddress(InetSocketAddress(Ipv4Address(“192.168.1.1”), port));

PacketSinkHelper sinkHelper(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, apAddress);

ApplicationContainer sinkApps = sinkHelper.Install(wifiApNodes.Get(0));

sinkApps.Start(Seconds(1.0));

sinkApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

OnOffHelper onOff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, apAddress);

onOff.SetAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Mbps”));

onOff.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer onOffApps = onOff.Install(wifiStaNodes.Get(0));

onOffApps.Start(Seconds(2.0));

onOffApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

1. Custom Applications:
   • Create custom applications by way of prolonging the Application.

Step 7: Monitor and Trace

1. Enable Tracing:
   • Record events for debugging and analysis:

wifiPhy.EnablePcap(“wifi”, staDevices.Get(0));

1. Use FlowMonitor:
   • Accumulate performance indicators with FlowMonitor:

FlowMonitorHelper flowMonitor;

Ptr<FlowMonitor> monitor = flowMonitor.InstallAll();

Step 8: Run the Simulation

1. Schedule Simulation:
   • Describe the simulation time and then execute the simulation:

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

1. Analyze Results:
   • Make use of trace files or observe the data to examine the performance outcomes.

Example: Simple WiFi Communication

Here’s a simple example WiFi communication script:

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”

#include “ns3/wifi-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

using namespace ns3;

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

NodeContainer wifiStaNodes, wifiApNodes;

wifiStaNodes.Create(10);

wifiApNodes.Create(1);

YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();

YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();

wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());

WifiHelper wifi;

wifi.SetRemoteStationManager(“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);

WifiMacHelper wifiMac;

Ssid ssid = Ssid(“ns3-wifi”);

wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::StaWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid));

NetDeviceContainer staDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, wifiStaNodes);

wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::ApWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid));

NetDeviceContainer apDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, wifiApNodes);

MobilityHelper mobility;

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::RandomWalk2dMobilityModel”,

“Bounds”, RectangleValue(Rectangle(-50, 50, -50, 50)));

mobility.Install(wifiStaNodes);

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);

mobility.Install(wifiApNodes);

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.Install(wifiStaNodes);

stack.Install(wifiApNodes);

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“192.168.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer staInterfaces = address.Assign(staDevices);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer apInterfaces = address.Assign(apDevices);

uint16_t port = 9;

UdpEchoServerHelper server(port);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = server.Install(wifiApNodes.Get(0));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

UdpEchoClientHelper client(apInterfaces.GetAddress(0), port);

client.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(100));

client.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

client.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer clientApp = client.Install(wifiStaNodes.Get(0));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

Next Steps

1. Extend to LTE or 5G:
   • For advanced scenarios, we will leverage LTE/5G components.
2. Implement Routing Protocols:
   • Integrate the dynamic routing protocols for MANETs or multi-hop networks.
3. Analyze Performance:
   • Focus on throughput, delay, and reliability in diverse scenarios to examine their performance.

We demonstrated the basic process with example coding for Wireless Communication projects, implemented and examined using NS3 simulation tool. Further details will be provided later.