Rule-Based And AI-Based Routing Protocols For Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: A Comparative Review
Maher Jasim AL-Mashhadani, Kamel Karoui · 2025
Mobile ad hoc networks, or MANETs, are a group of mobile devices in different networks that can join and leave the network at any moment. This results in the establishment of a distributed network consisting of mobile nodes that may connect, communicate, and exchange messages with each other without the need for an intermediary router. MANETs enable faster deployment com-pared to traditional networks, namely allowing for horizontal adoption. MANETs are commonly employed in a wide range of applications, including military operations, emergency or disaster relief activities, commercial meetings, political gatherings, and mine site activities. The primary concern in these types of networks is determining the optimal route between two nodes based on user specifications. Without a doubt, routing protocols and their evaluations have been the most widely discussed topics in the field of Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) since the inception of this network. Various researchers have made several improvements to these fundamental techniques over time, by their own needs. However, the study aims to elucidate the fundamental protocols that will furnish readers with essential information regarding the qualities, benefits, and drawbacks of a specific protocol. This knowledge will enable them to effectively utilize any protocol based on their own needs. The purpose is to describe the proactive, reactive, hybrid model, based on location, energy-aware, unicast, and multicast routing systems that have been developed. This paper aims to discuss the routing protocol and its development over the past two decades, focusing on utilizing machine learning and deep learning to improve routing strategy. We will present a table that displays the comparison of the different routing protocols that have been covered.