How to Implement M2M Radio Link in NS2

To implement a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) radio link within NS2 (Network Simulator 2) make sure to encompass simulating communication among the machines (or devices) across wireless radio links. M2M communication is a vital feature of IoT (Internet of Things) networks in which the devices are communicate autonomously without the human intervention. In the simulator NS2, we can replicate the M2M communication by making wireless nodes which communicate over radio links using protocols such as UDP or TCP. We provided step-by-step protocol to executing M2M radio links in NS2:

Steps to Implement M2M Radio Link in NS2

  1. Set up NS2 Environment

Make sure that NS2 is installed on the computer. If not, we follow those steps to install it:

wget https://sourceforge.net/projects/nsnam/files/latest/download -O ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz

tar -xzvf ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz

cd ns-allinone-2.35

./install

When installed, make certain that we can run the simulator NS2 by analysing with a basic simulation.

  1. Understanding M2M Communication

M2M communication has needs to contain the devices (machines) which communicate wirelessly. This devices may be sensors, actuators, or other networked systems that exchange the data. In simulator NS2, we replicate this by making the wireless nodes and also setup them to communicate across the radio links.

  1. Define the Network Topology for M2M Communication

We will describe a network with several wireless nodes which communicate across the radio links. These nodes will mimic M2M communication in which data is exchanged using a wireless protocol such as UDP or TCP.

3.1 Create Wireless Nodes for M2M Devices

Initially, we state that the wireless channel and make the M2M nodes (machines).

# Create a simulator object

set ns [new Simulator]

# Define the wireless channel for M2M communication

set chan_1_ [new Channel/WirelessChannel]

# Open trace file for visualization

set nf [open out.nam w]

$ns namtrace-all $nf

# =======================

# Create M2M Devices (Wireless Nodes)

# =======================

# Create 3 M2M devices

set m2m_device1 [$ns node]

set m2m_device2 [$ns node]

set m2m_device3 [$ns node]

# Set up the wireless channel for the devices

$m2m_device1 set channel_ $chan_1_

$m2m_device2 set channel_ $chan_1_

$m2m_device3 set channel_ $chan_1_

# Assign random initial positions to the M2M devices

$m2m_device1 set X_ 50

$m2m_device1 set Y_ 50

$m2m_device1 set Z_ 0

$m2m_device2 set X_ 150

$m2m_device2 set Y_ 150

$m2m_device2 set Z_ 0

$m2m_device3 set X_ 250

$m2m_device3 set Y_ 250

$m2m_device3 set Z_ 0

In this example:

  • We made three M2M devices such as m2m_device1, m2m_device2, and m2m_device3 with the help of wireless nodes.
  • All devices are connected to the similar wireless channel (WirelessChannel) that permits them to communicate with each other across the radio links.
  • Every device is allocated a first position in a 2D grid.
  1. Define M2M Communication Using UDP or TCP

This M2M devices are normally exchange small packets of data using lightweight protocols such as UDP and also we will describe a UDP agent to replicate the communication among these devices.

4.1 Create UDP Traffic for M2M Communication

# =======================

# Set Up M2M Communication Between Devices

# =======================

# Device 1 sends data to Device 2

set udp1 [new Agent/UDP]

$ns attach-agent $m2m_device1 $udp1

set sink1 [new Agent/Null]

$ns attach-agent $m2m_device2 $sink1

$ns connect $udp1 $sink1

# Create a CBR traffic generator to simulate M2M communication

set cbr1 [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$cbr1 attach-agent $udp1

$cbr1 set packetSize_ 512       ;# Set packet size for M2M data

$cbr1 set rate_ 100Kb           ;# Set data rate for M2M communication

# Start traffic from Device 1 to Device 2 at 1.0 seconds

$ns at 1.0 “$cbr1 start”

# Device 3 sends data to Device 1

set udp2 [new Agent/UDP]

$ns attach-agent $m2m_device3 $udp2

set sink2 [new Agent/Null]

$ns attach-agent $m2m_device1 $sink2

$ns connect $udp2 $sink2

# Create CBR traffic from Device 3 to Device 1

set cbr2 [new Application/Traffic/CBR]

$cbr2 attach-agent $udp2

$cbr2 set packetSize_ 256       ;# Smaller packet size for Device 3

$cbr2 set rate_ 50Kb            ;# Lower data rate for Device 3

# Start traffic from Device 3 to Device 1 at 2.0 seconds

$ns at 2.0 “$cbr2 start”

In this example:

  • Device 1 sends UDP traffic to Device 2 starting at 1.0 seconds. The data is transferred at a rate of 100 Kbps.
  • Device 3 delivers UDP traffic to Device 1 starting at 2.0 seconds. The data rate is lower, at 50 Kbps, as well as smaller packet sizes.
  • The CBR (Constant Bit Rate) application is mimics the steady stream of data usually seen in the M2M communications.
  1. Enable Trace Files and Visualize in NAM

To monitor the performance of the M2M network, we can allow trace file generation and envision the simulation in NAM (Network Animator).

5.1 Enable Trace Files

# Enable trace file for simulation output

set tracefile [open “out.tr” w]

$ns trace-all $tracefile

5.2 Run and Visualize the Simulation

Run the simulation and also envision it using the NAM:

ns your_script.tcl

nam out.nam

We will observe the M2M devices communicating across the radio links, and the traffic will be envisioned in the animation.

  1. End the Simulation

After a specified duration, set the simulation to end.

# End the simulation after 10 seconds

$ns at 10.0 “finish”

proc finish {} {

global ns nf

$ns flush-trace

close $nf

exit 0

}

$ns run

The above command sets the simulation to run for 10 seconds and then stops.

  1. Analyse the Results

We can evaluate the trace file to collect information on the M2M communication, after running the simulation like:

  • Throughput: Estimate how much data was effectively transmitted.
  • Latency: Compute the end-to-end delay among the M2M devices.
  • Packet Loss: Verify if any packets were dropped while transmission.

We can use AWK or Python scripts to analyse the trace file and extract these metrics.

  1. Future Enhancements

The followings are some extra features we can execute to extend the M2M simulation:

  1. Mobility: Append mobility to the M2M devices by describing the random or group movement patterns.
  2. Multi-hop Communication: Replicate the scenarios in which data is relayed via intermediate devices to reach the end.
  3. QoS (Quality of Service): Execute traffic differentiation or QoS policies to prioritize particular M2M communications.
  4. Energy Models: Execute energy consumption models to mimic how M2M devices are perform in the battery-powered scenarios.

This manual concludes that a greater amount of information on how to execute the M2M Radio link, how to define the network topology for M2M communication and analyse the outcomes is crucial for effectively utilizing this NS2 tool. Additional informations will be provided, if required.

We are here to provide excellent support for implementing the M2M Radio Link in NS2, ensuring timely delivery. Keep in touch with us for innovative assistance. For the best guidance, stay connected with ns2project.com.