CodeMP: Network coded multipath to support TCP in disruptive MANETs

Abstract

TCP over Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) is challenging due to frequent route breaks, high random errors, and DATA-ACK interference. Network coded multipath approaches have been shown in several previous studies to be an effective transmission paradigms in disruptive networks. However, most of the previous studies either have no adaptive redundancy control or rely on theoretical models that require knowledge at all relays of the entire network state. In this paper, we propose a network coded multipath scheme for conventional TCPCodeMP that adapts to frequent link changes in MANET and requires no explicit control messages. The scheme exploits multiple-path redundancy and maintains total transparency to transport layer protocols. The proposed coding scheme is based on three components: (1) random linear coding scheme with adjustable redundancy, (2) multipath routing, (3) ACK Piggy coding. Simulation results show that in a 3-hop static scenario, the proposed multipath scheme improves TCP flows goodput by 70% compared to our previous single-path scheme. In an extreme MANET scenario where two TCP sessions co-exists and nodes are moving as fast as 25 m/s with up to 40% packet error rate (an environment in which regular TCP collapses completely), CodeMP achieves at least 700Kbps aggregate TCP goodput, with a Jain's fairness index of 0.99. © 2012 IEEE.