A Graphical User Interface for the ns-3 Simulator
Mohammed Hawa · 2020
The ns-3 simulator is a popular open-source network simulation tool. It offers extensive modeling capabilities for TCP/IP, Wi-Fi, cellular and wireless sensor networks, among others. However, its lack of a graphical interface, and constraining its development to the Linux operating system, introduces a steep learning curve for novice researchers, such as fresh graduate students, especially those lacking a deep understanding of the C++ or python programming languages. We report here on the progress and experience we gained as we undertook the considerable effort of developing a streamlined graphical user interface (GUI) for the ns-3 simulator, dubbed ns3++. We discuss the current state of this development effort, and elaborate on its potential benefits for both novice users and expert users alike.