AIPAC: Automatic IP address configuration in mobile ad hoc networks

We present an innovative protocol for the automatic configuration of the IP address in ad hoc networks. This protocol assigns unique IP address to each node and manages possible duplicate addresses due to the mobility of nodes in the network. It avoids the storage of large amounts of data and makes use of procedures that minimize the number of exchanged packets. The protocol also provides a new mechanism, called Gradual Merging of networks that causes the merging process of networks according to their evolution. Ns2 simulations are carried out to validate and characterize the performance of our proposed approach.