How to Simulate WAN Protocol Projects Using NS3

To Simulate Wide Area Network (WAN) protocols in NS3 have includes configuring a large-scale network with multiple nodes, usually spread via diverse locations or regions, interconnected through long-distance links (with higher latency and lower bandwidth). WAN protocols can contain numerous routing protocols and technologies like OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), BGP (Border Gateway Protocol), MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), and more. For any research assistance feel free to address us all your research queries we will provide you with best results.

In this guide, we will cover how to simulate a WAN environment in NS3 using OSPF or a similar routing protocol to handle network communication over long distances.

Key Components for WAN Protocol Simulation in NS3:

  1. Node Configuration: Replicate multiple routers or nodes via numerous locations (regions or ISPs).
  2. Point-to-Point Links: Utilize PointToPointHelper to replicate WAN links with particular bandwidth and latency.
  3. Routing Protocols: utilize routing protocols such as OSPF, BGP, or Static Routing to handle routing among nodes.
  4. Traffic Generators: replicate communication among nodes using TCP or UDP traffic.

Steps to Simulate a WAN Protocol Project Using NS3

  1. Install NS3

Ensure NS3 is installed on the computer.

  1. Create a WAN Simulation Using OSPF (Routing Protocol)

Here’s how we can configure a WAN simulation with multiple routers using OSPF or a similar routing protocol. The sample will mimic the routers associated through point-to-point (WAN) links.

Example Simulation Using OSPF Protocol in a WAN

  1. Include Necessary Headers

These headers are essential to configure point-to-point WAN links, setting up routing, and create traffic among nodes.

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

#include “ns3/ipv4-global-routing-helper.h” // OSPF routing simulation

  1. Create and Install Nodes

Generate a set of nodes signifies routers in different locations. For instance, we generate six nodes (routers) to replicate different WAN regions.

NodeContainer routers;

routers.Create(6);  // Create 6 routers

  1. Configure Point-to-Point WAN Links

Utilize PointToPointHelper to mimic WAN links among routers. We can set different data rates and latency to signify WAN links (higher latency and lower bandwidth compared to LAN).

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“5Mbps”));  // Set WAN bandwidth

p2p.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“50ms”));     // Set WAN link latency

// Install point-to-point links between routers

NetDeviceContainer devices1 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(0), routers.Get(1));  // Link router 0 to router 1

NetDeviceContainer devices2 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(1), routers.Get(2));  // Link router 1 to router 2

NetDeviceContainer devices3 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(2), routers.Get(3));  // Link router 2 to router 3

NetDeviceContainer devices4 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(3), routers.Get(4));  // Link router 3 to router 4

NetDeviceContainer devices5 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(4), routers.Get(5));  // Link router 4 to router 5

  1. Install the Internet Stack and OSPF Routing

Install the Internet stack that contain IP, TCP/UDP on the routers, and set up OSPF (or another routing protocol) to handle routing via the WAN.

  • OSPF is not directly supported in NS3 as of now, however we can replicate routing by using the GlobalRoutingHelper (for global routing table computation) or Static Routing.

For simplicity, we will utilize Static routing for this WAN simulation example.

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.Install(routers);

Ipv4GlobalRoutingHelper::PopulateRoutingTables();  // Automatically populate routing tables

Alternatively, we could manually setting up static routes among routers.

  1. Assign IP Addresses

Allocate IP addresses to the point-to-point links among the routers.

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);  // Assign IP addresses for router 0 to 1

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces1 = address.Assign(devices1);

address.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);  // Assign IP addresses for router 1 to 2

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces2 = address.Assign(devices2);

address.SetBase(“10.1.3.0”, “255.255.255.0”);  // Assign IP addresses for router 2 to 3

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces3 = address.Assign(devices3);

address.SetBase(“10.1.4.0”, “255.255.255.0”);  // Assign IP addresses for router 3 to 4

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces4 = address.Assign(devices4);

address.SetBase(“10.1.5.0”, “255.255.255.0”);  // Assign IP addresses for router 4 to 5

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces5 = address.Assign(devices5);

  1. Set Up Traffic Generators

We can utilize TCP or UDP applications to replicate the traffic among diverse nodes in the WAN. Here we will replicate a UDP Echo application in which one router behave like the server and another as the client.

  • Server (UDP Echo Server):

uint16_t port = 9;  // Port for the UDP server

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(port);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(routers.Get(5));  // Server on router 5

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

  • Client (UDP Echo Client):

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(Ipv4Address(“10.1.5.2”), port);  // Client communicating with router 5

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(100));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(routers.Get(0));  // Client on router 0

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

  1. Enable Tracing and Logging

Allow packet capture (PCAP) to measure traffic on the WAN links.

p2p.EnablePcapAll(“wan_simulation”);  // Enable packet capture for all WAN links

  1. Run the Simulation

Set the simulation time and execute the simulation.

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10.0));  // Run the simulation for 10 seconds

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

  1. Full Example Script for WAN Protocol Simulation Using Static Routing

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

#include “ns3/ipv4-global-routing-helper.h”

using namespace ns3;

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

// Step 1: Create routers (nodes)

NodeContainer routers;

routers.Create(6);  // Create 6 routers

// Step 2: Set up point-to-point WAN links between routers

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“5Mbps”));  // WAN link data rate

p2p.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“50ms”));  // WAN link delay

NetDeviceContainer devices1 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(0), routers.Get(1));  // Link router 0 to 1

NetDeviceContainer devices2 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(1), routers.Get(2));  // Link router 1 to 2

NetDeviceContainer devices3 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(2), routers.Get(3));  // Link router 2 to 3

NetDeviceContainer devices4 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(3), routers.Get(4));  // Link router 3 to 4

NetDeviceContainer devices5 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(4), routers.Get(5));  // Link router 4 to 5

// Step 3: Install the Internet stack and populate routing tables (Global Routing)

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.Install(routers);

Ipv4GlobalRoutingHelper::PopulateRoutingTables();  // Automatically populate routing tables

// Step 4: Assign IP addresses to the WAN links

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces1 = address.Assign(devices1);

address.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces2 = address.Assign(devices2);

address.SetBase(“10.1.3.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces3 = address.Assign(devices3);

address.SetBase(“10.1.4.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces4 = address.Assign(devices4);

address.SetBase(“10.1.5.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces5 = address.Assign(devices5);

// Step 5: Set up a UDP Echo Server on router 5

uint16_t port = 9;

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(port);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(routers.Get(5));  // Server on router 5

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

// Step 6: Set up a UDP Echo Client on router 0

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(Ipv4Address(“10.1.5.2”), port);  // Client sending data to router 5

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(100));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(routers.Get(0));  // Client on router 0

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

// Step 7: Enable packet capture (PCAP) for WAN links

p2p.EnablePcapAll(“wan_simulation”);

// Step 8: Run the simulation

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

  1. Running the Simulation
  • Compile and run the script using NS3’s waf build system:

./waf build

./waf –run <your_script_name>

  1. Analysing Results
  • PCAP Traces: The pcap files created in the course of the simulation can be measured using tools such as Wireshark to monitor packet exchanges and traffic via WAN links.
  • Flow Monitor: We can utilize FlowMonitor in NS3 to monitor the parameters like throughput, delay, and packet loss via the WAN.
  • Custom Metrics: We can measure WAN-specific metrics such as latency, jitter, or congestion by measuring the packet transmission details among routers.
  1. Extending the Simulation

We can expand this simple WAN simulation by:

  • Using BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) for routing among autonomous systems.
  • Replicating MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) for more advanced packet forwarding.
  • Adding Quality of Service (QoS) to emulate prioritization of traffic over WAN links.
  • Executing traffic engineering to enhance resource usage via the network.

Through this manual, you can explore Wide Area Network projects which will be simulated and evaluated in the ns3 environment. If needed, we will deliver the detailed structured entire execution process in another script.

Opening Time

9:00am

Lunch Time

12:30pm

Break Time

4:00pm

Closing Time

6:30pm

  • award1
  • award2