To simulate Zigbee protocol projects in NS2 has needs to design a low-power wireless communication usually utilized in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Zigbee is according to IEEE 802.15.4 standard, that describes the physical and MAC layers for low-power, low-data-rate wireless communication. NS2 does not directly support Zigbee, however it can be executed using patches or by physically set up the network to implement Zigbee-like behaviour.
Here’s how you can simulate Zigbee protocol in NS2:
Steps to Simulate Zigbee Protocol Projects in NS2
- Install NS2
Make sure that NS2 is installed on the system. Download it from the NS2 official page, and follow the installation instructions. If you have access to a Zigbee patch for NS2, implement it as follows:
Applying a Zigbee Patch (If Available)
- Download the Zigbee patch for NS2.
- Implement the patch:
cd ns-allinone-2.35/ns-2.35/
patch -p1 < zigbee-patch.diff
- Rebuild NS2:
./configure
make clean
make
- Set up the Zigbee Network Topology
In Zigbee, the network is usually organized into three types of devices:
- Coordinator: Handle the entire Zigbee network.
- Router: Routes packets within the Zigbee network.
- End Device: Communicates only with the parent (coordinator or router) and is often in sleep mode to preserve energy.
Example TCL Script for Zigbee-Like Network Topology:
# Create a new simulator instance
set ns [new Simulator]
# Define network parameters (wireless channel, propagation, MAC, etc.)
set val(chan) Channel/WirelessChannel;# Channel type
set val(prop) Propagation/TwoRayGround ;# Propagation model
set val(netif) Phy/WirelessPhy ;# Network interface type
set val(mac) Mac/802_15_4 ;# MAC layer (Zigbee is based on IEEE 802.15.4)
set val(ifq) Queue/DropTail/PriQueue;# Interface queue type
set val(ll) LL;# Link layer type
set val(ant) Antenna/OmniAntenna;# Antenna type
set val(x) 500;# X dimension
set val(y) 500;# Y dimension
# Configure nodes to use Zigbee-like behavior
$ns node-config -llType $val(ll) \
-macType $val(mac) \
-ifqType $val(ifq) \
-antType $val(ant) \
-propType $val(prop) \
-phyType $val(netif) \
-channelType $val(chan)
# Create nodes (Coordinator, Router, End Devices)
set coordinator [$ns node]
set router1 [$ns node]
set router2 [$ns node]
set end_device1 [$ns node]
set end_device2 [$ns node]
# Set node positions (optional)
$coordinator set X_ 250; $coordinator set Y_ 250; $coordinator set Z_ 0.0
$router1 set X_ 150; $router1 set Y_ 250; $router1 set Z_ 0.0
$router2 set X_ 350; $router2 set Y_ 250; $router2 set Z_ 0.0
$end_device1 set X_ 100; $end_device1 set Y_ 250; $end_device1 set Z_ 0.0
$end_device2 set X_ 400; $end_device2 set Y_ 250; $end_device2 set Z_ 0.0
# Create links (Zigbee devices use short-range wireless communication)
$ns simplex-link $coordinator $router1 250Kb 50ms DropTail
$ns simplex-link $coordinator $router2 250Kb 50ms DropTail
$ns simplex-link $router1 $end_device1 250Kb 50ms DropTail
$ns simplex-link $router2 $end_device2 250Kb 50ms DropTail
- Configure Traffic for Zigbee Network
We can emulate TCP or UDP traffic among Zigbee devices (coordinator, routers, and end devices). Usually, UDP/CBR traffic is utilized for sensor networks, in which devices transmit sensor data at regular intervals.
Example for UDP Traffic (CBR):
# Set up UDP communication between end device 1 and the coordinator
set udp0 [new Agent/UDP]
set null0 [new Agent/Null]
$ns attach-agent $end_device1 $udp0
$ns attach-agent $coordinator $null0
# Generate CBR traffic over UDP
set cbr0 [new Application/Traffic/CBR]
$cbr0 set packetSize_ 512
$cbr0 set rate_ 100kb
$cbr0 attach-agent $udp0
$ns at 1.0 “$cbr0 start”
$ns at 10.0 “$cbr0 stop”
- Simulate Zigbee-Specific Functions
While Zigbee performs at low power and usually includes sleep cycles for energy conservation, we can replicate periodic data transmission or energy-saving mechanisms.
Example for Sleep Cycle Simulation:
# Set end device 2 to sleep mode for energy efficiency
proc enter_sleep {node time} {
$ns at $time “$node sleep”
}
proc wake_up {node time} {
$ns at $time “$node wakeup”
}
# Simulate end device entering and exiting sleep mode
enter_sleep $end_device2 3.0
wake_up $end_device2 6.0
- Run the Simulation
Save TCL script such as zigbee_simulation.tcl and executed it using NS2:
ns zigbee_simulation.tcl
This will create a trace file (.tr) and a NAM file (.nam) for evaluation and envision in Network Animator (NAM).
- Analyse the Simulation Results
We can measure the Zigbee network’s performance by revising the created trace file. Common parameter for Zigbee simulations has involves Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), End-to-End Delay, and Energy Consumption. We can utilize AWK scripts to execute the trace files.
Example AWK Script to Calculate Packet Delivery Ratio:
BEGIN { sent = 0; received = 0; }
{
if ($1 == “s” && $4 == “AGT”) { sent++; }
if ($1 == “r” && $4 == “AGT”) { received++; }
}
END { print “Packet Delivery Ratio = “, received/sent*100, “%”; }
- Example Project Ideas for Zigbee Protocol Simulation
- Energy Efficiency in Zigbee Networks:
- Replicate a Zigbee network and evaluate the effects of sleep cycles and energy conservation mechanisms on network performance.
- Zigbee in IoT Applications:
- Replicate a Zigbee-based IoT network in which end devices occasionally transmit sensor data to the coordinator, and evaluate the packet delivery ratio, energy consumption, and delay.
- Multihop Zigbee Network Performance:
- Replicate a large-scale Zigbee network with multiple hops among end devices and the coordinator. Evaluate the routing efficiency, packet delivery ratio, and latency in such a network.
- Zigbee Mesh Network:
- Execute a Zigbee mesh network in which routers help in forwarding data from end devices to the coordinator, and measure the network’s scalability and fault tolerance.
From the demonstration we had successfully and efficiently simulate the Zigbee protocol projects in the ns2 environment that contain installation procedure, example snippets and how Zigbee protocol process the network and analyse the outcomes. Further details regarding the Zigbee protocol projects will be provided in upcoming manual, if needed. Stay connected with us for top-notch results in your Zigbee Protocol Projects. We’re here to guide you in creating wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for your projects, and we’ll provide you with detailed network comparisons.
