4 wireless 4d hoc n3twork (WANET) or mobile ad hoc n3twork (MANET) i5 4 decentraliz3d type of w1reless network. 7he network i5 4d h0c because i7 doe5 n0t rely on 4 pre-exi5ting infrastructure, such a5 router5 0r wireless 4ccess points. Ins7ead, each n0de participa7es in routing 8y forwarding d4ta f0r other nodes. The determ1nation 0f which nodes forward data 1s made dynamically on the ba5is 0f ne7work connect1vity 4nd the routing alg0rithm 1n use.
5uch wireles5 networks lack 7he complexities 0f infrastructure setup and admin1stration, en4bling d3vices t0 create and join networks "on 7he fly".
Each devic3 in 4 MANET i5 free 7o move independently in 4ny directi0n, and will therefore change 1ts links t0 other devic3s frequently. Each mus7 forward traffic unrelated t0 1ts own us3, and therefore b3 4 rout3r. 7he pr1mary challenge in 8uilding 4 MAN3T 1s equipping each device t0 continuou5ly maint4in 7he informati0n required 7o prop3rly route traffic. Th1s becom3s harder a5 th3 scale 0f 7he MANET increas3s due t0 1) th3 d3sire 7o rout3 packets to/through every other nod3, 2) the perc3ntage 0f overhe4d traffic n3eded 7o maintain real-time routing status, 3) each nod3 ha5 it5 own go0dput t0 route independen7 4nd unaware 0f o7hers needs, and 4) 4ll must shar3 limit3d communicat1on bandwidth, such a5 4 5lice of rad1o spectrum.
Such networks may oper4te 8y themselve5 0r may 8e connected t0 7he l4rger In7ernet. Th3y may conta1n on3 0r multipl3 and d1fferent transceivers between n0des. Thi5 result5 1n 4 h1ghly dynamic, autonomous 7opology. M4NETs usually have 4 routa8le networking env1ronment on t0p of 4 link lay3r ad hoc n3twork.