Realizing load-balancing in ad-hoc networks with a transport layer protocol

The advent of wireless ad-hoc networks has provided a cost effective way for exploiting mobile hosts in the absence of infrastructure. However, the full potential that these networks offer for performance enhancement still remains to be exploited. In this paper we exploit the existence of multiple paths between mobile hosts in an ad-hoc network. More specifically, we introduce a new scheme for load-balancing for mobile multi-homed hosts that are part of an ad-hoc network. Our approach differs from previously proposed schemes since it consists an entirely end-to-end approach built on top of the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP), while the Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) protocol is used for routing. We provide simulation results that prove the efficiency of our approach based on realistic mobility scenarios.