Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multicast routing protocols in wireless mesh networks: a survey

  • Published:
Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) introduce a new type of network that has been applied over the last few years. One of the most important developing issues in WMNs is multicast routing, which is a key technology that provides dissemination of data to a group of members in an efficient way. In this article, after an introduction about the structure of a WMN, multicast routing algorithms and protocols in WMNs are surveyed in a detailed and efficient manner. Moreover, effort is made to scale the study into one of the important potential capabilities of multicast routing mechanisms in WMNs, which is taking advantage of using different channels and radios association. While nodes in a single-radio mesh network operating on single-channel have restrictions for capacity, equipping mesh routers with multiple radios using multiple channels can decrease the intention of capacity problem as well as increase the aggregate bandwidth available to the network and improving the throughput. Hence, the purpose of channel assignment is to decrease the interferences while increasing the network capacity and keeping the connectivity of the network. Therefore, this article investigates the multicast protocols considering a definition of three types of WMNs, based on channel-radio association including SRSC, SRMC and MRMC. In its follow, a classification for multicast routing algorithms regarding the achieved optimal solutions will be presented. Finally, a study of MRMC and its relevant problems will be offered, considering the joint channel assignment and the multicast tree construction problem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Xu J (2006) Multicast in wireless mesh networks. York University Toronto, Ontario

    Google Scholar 

  2. Huang B, He Y, Perkins D (2009) Investigating deployment strategies for multi-radio multi-channel residential wireless mesh networks. IEEE Comput Soc 147–153

  3. Duarte JL, Passos D, Valle RL, Oliveira E, Muchaluat-Saade D, Albuquerque CV (2007) Management issues on wireless mesh networks. In: Network operations and management symposium, 2007, LANOMS 2007, Latin American, pp 8–19

  4. Ruiz PM, Galera FJ, Jelger C, Noel T (2006) Efficient multicast routing in wireless mesh networks connected to internet. In: InterSense ’06 proceedings of the first international conference on integrated internet ad hoc and sensor networks, Art No 26

  5. Nguyen UT, Xu J (2007) Multicast routing in wireless mesh networks: minimum cost trees or shortest path trees? Communications Magazine, IEEE 45(11)

  6. Wu C-W, Tay YC (1999) Amris: a multicast protocol for ad hoc wireless networks. In: IEEE military communications conference proceedings, MILCOM 1999, vol 1, pp 25–29

  7. Royer EM, Perkins CE (2000) Multicast ad hoc on-demand distance vector (MAODV) routing. In: MobiCom ’99 proceedings of the 5th annual ACM/IEEE international conference on mobile computing and networking, pp 207–218

  8. Lee SJ, Su W, Gerla M (2002) On-demand multicast routing protocol in multihop wireless mobile networks. Mobile Network Appl 7(6):441–453

  9. Garcia-Luna-Aceves JJ, Madruga EL (1999) The core-assisted mesh protocol. IEEE J Sel Areas Commun 17(8)

  10. Shittu WA, Hassan A, Hashim A, Anwar F, Al-Khateeb W (2008) A proposed Qos multicast routing framework for next-generation wireless mesh network. IJCSNS Int J Comput Sci Netw Secur 8(9)

  11. Ding Y, Huang Y, Zeng G, Xiao L (2012) Using partially overlapping channels to improve throughput in wireless mesh networks. IEEE Trans Mobile Comput 11(11):1720–1733

  12. Zeng G, Wang B, Ding Y, Xiao L, Mutka M (2007) Multicast algorithms for multi-channel wireless mesh networks. IEEE Trans Para Dist Syst 21(1):86–99

  13. Hoang Lan N, Uyen Trang N (2009) Channel assignment for multicast in multi-channel multiradio wireless mesh networks. Wirel Commun Mobile Comput 9(4):557–571

  14. Zouaoui EME, Derdouri L, Zeghib N (2012) Dynamic multicast membership algorithms for multi-channel multi-radio wireless mesh network. Int J Comput Sci Telecommun 3(12)

  15. Keegan B, Kowalik K, Davis M (2008) Optimisation of multicast routing in wireless mesh networks. In: Information technology and telecommunications conference 2008 (ITT 2008)

  16. Sabyasachi R, Dimitrios K, Das S, Hu YC (2008) High–throughput multicast routing metrics in wireless mesh networks. In: Distributed computing systems, ICDCS 2006, 26th IEEE international conference on ad hoc networks 6(6)

  17. Kumar N, Chilamkurti N, Lee JH (2012) A novel minimum delay maximum flow multicast algorithm to construct a multicast tree in wireless mesh networks. Comput Math Appl 63(2)

  18. Akyildiz IF, Wang X (2008) Cross-layer design in wireless mesh networks. IEEE Trans Veh Technol 57(2)

  19. Pourfakhar E, Rahmani AM (2010) A hybrid Qos multicast framework-based protocol for wireless mesh networks. Comput Commun 33(17)

  20. Karimi OB, Liu J, Li Z (2010) Multicast in multi-channel wireless mesh networks. In: Networking, vol 6091. Springer, pp 148–159

  21. Jahanshahi M, Dehghan M, Meybodi MR (2011) A mathematical formulation for joint channel assignment and multicast routing in multi-channel multi-radio wireless mesh networks. J Netw Comput Appl 34(6)

  22. Zeng G, Wang B, Ding Y, Xiao L, Mutka MW (2010) Efficient multicast algorithms for multichannel wireless mesh networks. IEEE Trans Parallel Distrib Systems 21(1)

  23. Nguyen HL, Uyen TN (2008) Minimum interference channel assignment for multicast in multi-radio wireless mesh networks. In: Wireless communications and mobile computing conference, IWCMC ’08, pp 626–631

  24. Nguyen HL, Uyen TN (2009) Bandwidth efficient multicast routing in multi-channel multiradio wireless mesh networks. In: International conference on ultra modern telecommunications & workshops, ICUMT ’09, pp 1–8

  25. Yin Z, Li Z, Chen M (2007) A novel channel assignment algorithm for multicast in multiradio wireless mesh networks. In: 12th IEEE symposium on computers and communications, ISCC 2007, pp 283–288

  26. Cheng H, Yang S (2008) Joint multicast routing and channel assignment in multiradio multichannel wireless mesh networks using simulated annealing. In: Simulated evolution and learning, vol 5361. Springer, Berlin, pp 370–380

  27. Cheng H, Yang S (2011) Joint Qos multicast routing and channel assignment in multiradio multichannel wireless mesh networks using intelligent computational methods. Appl Soft Comput 11(2)

  28. Fredriksson K, Guhl M (2011) Multi-channel, multi-radio in wireless mesh networks. Master of Science Thesis in Computer Science and Engineering, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

  29. Lim S-H, Kim C, Ko Y-B, Vaidya NH (2009) Efficient multicasting for multi-channel multi-interface wireless mesh networks. In: IEEE military communications conference, MILCOM 2009, pp 1–7

  30. Babu YK, Babu TN, Ramesh B (2011) Minimizing interference through channel assignment in multi radio wireless mesh networks. In: International conference on advances in social networks analysis and mining (ASONAM), pp 557–558

  31. Skalli H, Ghosh S, Das SK, Lenzini L, Conti M (2007) Channel assignment strategies for multi radio wireless mesh networks: issues and solutions. IEEE Commun Mag 45(11)

  32. Subramanian AP, Gupta H, Das SR (2007) Minimum interference channel assignment in multi-radio wireless mesh networks. IEEE Trans Mobile Comput 7(12):1459–1473

  33. Gopinathan A, Li Z, Williamson C (2009) Optimal multicast in multi-channel multi-radio wireless networks. In: IEEE international symposium on modeling, analysis & simulation of computer and telecommunication systems, MASCOTS ’09, pp 1–10

  34. Yang WL, Hong WT (2013) A cross layer optimization for maximum revenue based multicast in multichannel multi radio wireless mesh networks. Int J Commun Sys

  35. Yang WL, Hong WT (2012) A joint consideration of channel assignment and multicast routing in MCMR WMNs. In: 7th international ICST conference on communications and networking in China (CHINACOM), pp 642–647

  36. Yuan J, Li Z, Yu W, Li B (2006) A cross-layer optimization framework for multihop multicast in wireless mesh networks. IEEE J Select Areas Commun 24(11)

  37. Zhang Q, Zhang Y-Q (2008) Cross-layer design for Qos support in multi hop wireless networks. Proc IEEE 96(1)

  38. Avokh A, Mirjalily G (2013) Load-balanced multicast tree routing in multi channel multi radio wireless mesh networks using a new cost function. Wireless Pers Commun 69(1):75–106

  39. Zhao L, Al-Dubai A, Liu XD (2008) A new multicast routing algorithm for the wireless mesh networks. In: 9th annual postgraduate symposium

  40. Waitzman D, Deering SE, Partridge C (1988) Distance vector multicast routing protocol

  41. Moy J (1994) Multicast extensions to OSPF

  42. Deering S, Estrin DL, Farinacci D, Jacobson V, Liu C-G, Wei L (1996) The PIM architecture for wide-area multicast routing. IEEE/ACM Trans Netw (ToN) 4(2)

  43. Ballardie T, Francis P, Crowcroft J (1993) Core based trees (CBT). ACM SIGCOMM Comput Commun Rev 23(4)

  44. Jahanshahi M, Dehghan M, Meybodi MR (2011) On channel assignment and multicast routing in multi-channel multi-radio wireless mesh networks. Int J Ad Hoc Ubiquitous Comput 12(4):225–244

  45. Jahanshahi M, Dehghan M, Meybodi MR (2013) LAMR: learning automata based multicast routing protocol for multi-channel multi-radio wireless mesh networks. Appl Intell 38(1):58–77

  46. Cheng H, Yang S (2008) A genetic-inspired joint multicast routing and channel assignment algorithm in wireless mesh networks. In: IEEE 2008 UK workshop on computational intelligence, pp 159–164

  47. Ramachandran K, Belding EM, Almeroth K, Buddhiko M (2006) Interference-aware channel assignment in multi-radio wireless mesh networks. In: Proceedings INFOCOM 2006, 25th IEEE international conference on computer communications, pp 1–12

  48. Raman B (2006) Channel allocation in 802.11-based mesh networks. In: Proceedings INFOCOM 2006, 25th IEEE international conference on computer communications, pp 1–10

  49. Raniwala A, Chiueh T (2005) Architecture and algorithms for an IEEE 802.11-based multichannel wireless mesh network. In: Proceedings IEEE INFOCOM 2005, 24th annual joint conference of the IEEE computer and communications societies, vol 3, pp 2223–2234

  50. Raniwala A, Gopalan K, Chiueh T (2004) Centralized channel assignment and routing algorithms for multi-channel wireless mesh networks. ACM Mobile Comput Commun Rev 8(2):50–65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Goldberg DE (1989) Genetic algorithms in search, optimization, and machine learning. Addison-Wesley, Reading

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  52. Holland JH (1975) Adaptation in natural and artificial systems. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor

    Google Scholar 

  53. Ahn CW, Ramakrishna RS (2002) A genetic algorithm for shortest path routing problem and the sizing of populations. IEEE Trans J Evol Comput 6(6):566–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Garey MR, Johnson DS (1979) Computer and intractability. A Guide to the NP-Completeness, Macmillan Higher Education, W. H. Freeman & Co, New York

  55. Tang J, Xue G, Zhang W (2005) Interference-aware topology control and QoS routing in multi-channel wireless mesh networks. In: Proceedings of the 6th ACM international symposium on mobile ad hoc networking and computing, pp 68–77

  56. Avonts J, Van den Wijngaert N, Blondia C (2007) Distributed channel allocation in multi-radio wireless mesh networks. In: Proceedings of 16th IEEE international conference of computing and communication networks, pp 939–944

  57. Gupta P, Kumar PR (2000) The capacity of wireless networks. IEEE Trans Inf Theory 46(2):388–404

  58. Akyildiz IF, Wang X, Wang W (2005) Wireless mesh networks: a survey. IEEE Commun Mag 43(9):S23–S30

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Engineering, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Mohsen Jahanshahi

  2. Department of IT and Computer Science, Islamic Azad University of Qazvin, Qazvin, Iran

    Alireza Talebi Barmi

Authors
  1. Mohsen Jahanshahi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alireza Talebi Barmi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohsen Jahanshahi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jahanshahi, M., Talebi Barmi, A. Multicast routing protocols in wireless mesh networks: a survey. Computing 96, 1029–1057 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00607-014-0403-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00607-014-0403-z

Keywords

Mathematics Subject Classification

Search

Navigation