Ad Hoc Network: What is it, what is it for and how does it work?

In computer terminology, a NETWORK refers to the interconnection of several computers or a network of devices that, through the use of electronic pulses, electromagnetic waves, or other physical means, are capable of sending and receiving data packets, sharing resources, and functioning as an organized whole.

Thus, a wireless network is a network that connects nodes using electromagnetic waves without the need for a physical or wired connection. One of the most popular networks used in various applications is the ad hoc network. It is essentially a decentralized wireless network that provides direct access to multiple nodes, which offers significant benefits to users.

Given their importance, it is therefore important to know the most interesting aspects of ad hoc networks in order to explain what they are used for. In addition, we will cover their main features and usability, as well as their most interesting parts, advantages and disadvantages.

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What is an Ad Hoc network and what is it used for in computing?

In essence, an ad hoc wireless network is a type of decentralized network that is characterized by operating on a point-to-point basis, so that Nodes can communicate with each other independent of the fixed infrastructure. This means that it is not tied to any pre-existing infrastructure, such as wired networks (or routers) or access points of managed wireless networks.

In this sense, in an ad hoc network, each node is responsible for participating in forwarding data to other nodes, so the definition of these data nodes is dynamic, depending on the network connectivity. Therefore, All nodes have the same state in the network and can connect to any other device on the ad hoc network within the connectivity area.

Other details

Since there is no such location, no additional information is required. router or access point to establish a connection between sending and receiving data from present nodes. Instead, the components of the The ad hoc network is responsible for communicating with each other to transmit information dynamically.

Therefore, this type of network is most often used at home, where the simplest installation is requiredThey are also ideal for exchanging certain files between different computers or devices that are part of a wireless network but do not have Internet access. They can also be used in the event of civil or natural emergencies.

What are the main characteristics of AD HOC networks?

To better understand this type of decentralized wireless networks and manage them properly, it is worth highlighting their most valuable features.

So let's take a look at all of them:

• They are networks based on a system called "ad hoc mode", characterized by the fact that Nodes can move freely, so they do not depend on a fixed central domain. Therefore, a node can act as a host or as a router depending on the transmission range of each node in the network.
• More than one laptop can be connected to an ad-hoc network, as long as all adapters are configured to operate in ad-hoc mode and connect with the same SSIDPlease note that computers must be within 100 meters of each other.
• There will never be any infrastructure in an ad-hoc network. This means that there is no central authority or structure, as Devices can assume the role of host or router at any time.
• They are characterized by a variable topology that allows nodes to move and establish new connections with other nodes, mainly within the coverage area.
• As for its autonomy, It should be noted that it is limitedThis is due to the portability of their devices, which are limited in terms of battery life.
• Since existing nodes are mobile, frequent disconnections occur and therefore route changes or modifications.

AD HOC Network vs Standard WiFi: Which is better and what are the differences?

If this is the case, many people are wondering about the differences between ad hoc networks and traditional Wi-Fi networks, which refer to the technology that allows electronic devices to connect to each other without cables.

Therefore, it is important to explain the differences between these two types of networks so that, depending on the needs of each user, they can determine which network is best:

1. Infrastructure

As we have already mentioned in this document, ad hoc mode does not requires a central access point and is therefore characterised by being a decentralised wireless network. This means that the devices themselves are responsible for connecting to each other to transmit data over the network and therefore do not depend on a central router.

Standard Wi-Fi technology, on the other hand, usually operates in infrastructure mode. This means that communication between all devices on the network must come from an access point, which is usually a wireless router.

Thus, these networks are based on a predefined infrastructure of connections wired network. Thus, unlike AD HOC mode, in this case communication is carried out through the wireless access point to send and receive data packets.

2. Configuration

Ad hoc networks are usually easier to set up. If you need to connect devices to transfer files without using the Internet, These devices can be connected directly in ad hoc mode to create a temporary WiFi network without the need for a wireless router.

Standard WiFi, on the other hand, requires a more complex configuration, since this type of network is ideal for creating a permanent network. For this purpose, wireless routers act as access points thanks to its more powerful antennas and wireless radios, which can cover a larger area.

Other differences

AD HOC Network	Standard WiFi
These networks have the ability to handle dynamic topology changes	They generally do not respond well to dynamic topology changes.
Unfortunately, they do not have encryption or built-in security.	It offers great security and encryption in the protocol
Before data traffic, it will not be necessary to exchange additional frames	Several frames must be exchanged before data traffic
It does not have built-in service discovery	Service discovery is always part of the protocol

Which is better?

To determine which wireless network is better, ad hoc or WiFi, It all depends on how you are going to use it. This means that ultimately your needs will determine what type of network best suits your goal.

For example, if you want to transfer data quickly and easily between multiple computers without using the Internet or a central router, an ad hoc network is best. However, if you want to create a more permanent and extensive network, a traditional Wi-Fi network is a better option.

AD HOC Uses What are the main applications of this type of network?

Due to their decentralized nature, ad hoc networks are suitable for a wide range of applications that do not require centralized nodes, although they are necessary to optimize the scalability of centralized and managed wireless networks.

The main applications of wireless networks of this type are the following:

• They are very useful networks for sharing files or any data with several computers simultaneously and directly, without the need for WiFi access.
• They are also used to quickly and easily exchange the Internet connection from one computer to another.
• They are ideal for any emergency, such as natural disasters or armed conflicts. In fact, the configuration is minimal and the deployment is dynamic, since the routing protocols can be configured quickly.
• Its use in the domestic sphere is very important and is widely used today. For example, to transfer information between mobile devices via Bluetooth or between other devices (e.g. printers).
• It is an ideal mechanism for sending files directly to another computer when memory cards or other removable media are not available.
• AD HOC networks can be used to participate in network games multiplayer, that is, multiplayer computer games.

What does it take to create an AD HOC network? The basic components

Since the setup is fairly straightforward and temporary creation can be done by any user, it is useful to know what individual elements are needed to easily create an ad hoc network.

Therefore, here we will see the elements necessary to build a distributed wireless network:

• Network Interface Cards: Each node must have these cards in order to access a particular wired network scheme.
• Wireless Network Interface Cards: They are necessary in all cases to create ad hoc networks that can connect to each other.
• Work stations: They are essentially computers or mobile devices called "network nodes" within a network.
• Shared resources: They refer to different devices that need to share the necessary resources; this is the main objective of an ad hoc network. A good example is a printer.

Again, please note that the access point should not be used for this type of setup.

Advantages and limitations of creating an AD COA Is it practical?

To determine whether or not it is practical to create and install an ad hoc network, you need to know some of the most important aspects, such as the main advantages and disadvantages. If you take these into account, You will be able to clearly define for each of them if you need such a system at home or at your workplace, for example.

key benefits

Given the benefits that ad hoc networks bring to their users, it is obvious that there are valuable advantages to consider when building such a network:

• Fortunately, it is very easy to configure, so you only have to do it on each node. In this sense, it is very simple and some OS They offer the possibility of configuring each computer in just a few steps. For example, Windows.
• With such a network, files and data can be shared quickly, since all computers are directly connected to each other and There is no need to manage them from a central node. In other words, there is no need for a middleman.
• No internet connection needed to transfer information directly between devices.
• Also It is an ideal mechanism for sharing an Internet connection with other computers, so that with very few resources a computer can be made to act as a modem for other machines in use.
• They are much cheaper than other managed networksThis is because no additional effort, such as cabling, is required to connect to a central router.

Main disadvantages

However, not everything can be perfect and this type of network also has limitations, advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into account before setting up and using them.

We will discuss these drawbacks later in this article:

• Security in this type of network is completely reduced. In fact, all nodes are interconnected and an attacker who gains access to one of these nodes is able to penetrate all the computers in the ad hoc network.
• To establish communication with them, All devices must be within detection range from other devices. Otherwise, the process will not be successful.
• Since nodes are interconnected, when one node goes offline, the entire network, or at least the portion of the network made up of nodes within range of the disconnected node, goes down.
• Typically, nodes compete for access to the shared wireless environment, and this competition results in collisions or interference, which are typically caused by two or more nodes transmitting simultaneously.
• If the NICs used are incompatible, ad hoc connectivity will not be possible. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that this compatibility is mandatory.
• Just as security in this type of network leaves much to be desired, the speeds are also very slow in most cases. Therefore, this is a type of network that is not at all efficient.

Conclusion

If you need to send a file to a friend's laptop, you can create a special network between your computer and theirs to transfer the file. You can use an Ethernet crossover cable or wireless cards to communicate with each other.

Similarly, if you need to share files or documents with multiple computers, you can create a multi-hop ad hoc network that can transfer data across multiple nodes.

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