Network Simulator (ns-2)

1
 Documentation
 Introductory: Marc Greis’s tutorial
 reference: Ns Manual (formerly called "ns Notes
and Documentation")
 ns by Example
 Practical Programming in Tcl and Tk
 (http: //www.beedub.com/book/)
 http://hpds.ee.ncku.edu.tw/~smallko/
ns2/ns2.htm

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 Useful links

ns-2 web page

http://www.isi.edu/nsnam/ns/

nam web page

http://www.isi.edu/nsnam/nam/
ns-2 tutorial [ns-2.29/tutorial/]
http://www.isi.edu/nsnam/ns/tutorial/index.html

ns-2 manual
http://www.isi.edu/nsnam/ns/ns-documentation.html

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 Introduction
 Methods for network research
 Analytical
•Mathematical model
 Emulation
•Real code
•Duplicates the functions of one system with a different system
 Simulation
•Abstract model
•Behavior of system

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 Introduction…
 Simulation frameworks
 Commercial
•OPNET
•QualNet
•OMNEST (commercial version of OMNetT++)
 Free
•NS-2 (network simulator version 2)
•OMNetT++

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 Installation
 Platform
 Unix
 Windows (cygwin)
 Packages
 Tcl/tk
 Otcl tclcl
 Ns-2
 Nam
 Xgraph
 C++ compiler
 Ns AllInOne package

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 Installation…
 Cygwin, AllInOne installation (windows)
http://140.116.72.80/~smallko/ns2/setup_en.htm
 Installation problems
http://www.isis.edu/nsnam/ns/ns-problems.html#general
 Cygwin setup
 Gcc and g++
 Ns-2 setup
 Path setting
 Cygwin/home/user-name/.bashrc
 Testing (startxwin.bat) - ~/ns-allinone-x.x/ns-x.x/ns-tutorial/examples

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 Platforms supported
 Most UNIX and UNIX-like systems
 FreeBSD
 Linux
 Solaris

 Windows 98/2000/2003/XP/7/10
 Cygwin required

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 NS-goals
 Support networking research and education
 Protocols design and comparison
 Provide collaborative environment
 Free distributed, open source
 [email protected]

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 Preliminary for NS-2
 Ability to write correct programs
 Familiarity with object-oriented programming
 Patience to debug NS source code when needed
 Simple usage will not need NS source code debugging
 More complex simulations may need modification to
NS source code

 Debugging skills
 NS uses C++ and Otcl
 User scripts are in Otcl

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 Network simulator (ns-2)
 Ns-2 is a discrete event simulator
 Change of state happens only in discrete point of time
 Advance of time depends on the timing of events
 Events
 Basic component that changes a system state
 Packet arrival/departure, time-out events
 Event handlers
 Process events
 Agents, Nodes, Links in NS-2 are event handlers.
 Object-oriented simulator
 C++ : fast to run, slower to change – protocol implementation
 Otcl : slower to run, fast to change – simulation configuration
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 Basic Mechanisms of Event Handlers
 If there exists an event to process
 Call process (event)
 During the processing, the event is held for a certain
duration.
 Agents in NS-2 does this.

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 Discrete event simulator
 Ns-2 is a discrete event driven simulator
 Physical activities are translated to events
 Events are queued and processed in the order of their
scheduled occurrences
 Time progresses as the events are processed

Time: 1.5 Time: 1.7

sec sec
1 2

Time: 2.0 Time: 1.8

sec sec

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 Simulation Network using ns-2
 Wired Network
 Point-to-point link, LAN
 Routing: Distance Vector (Bellman-ford), Link State (Dijikistra)
 Transportation: TCP and UDP
 Queuing disciplines: drop-tail, RED, FQ, SFQ, DRR, RR
 Traffic characterizations - Poisson, Exponential, Pareto etc.
 QoS: IntServ and DiffServ
 Different mobility model
 Wireless Network
 Ad-hoc routing and mobile IP: AODV, DSR,…
 Sensor-MAC, WiMAX , Wi-Fi…
 Satellite network
 Power control in wireless networks
 Tracing, Visualization, Analysis, Other utilities
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 Simulation Network using ns-2…

 Model the network at packet level

 Modeling Network protocols

Collection of Various protocols at multiple layers
TCP(reno, tahoe, vegas, sack, westhood,…)
MAC(802.11, 802.3, TDMA)
Ad-hoc Routing (DSDV, DSR, AODV,AOMDV, TORA,…)
Sensor Network
Multicast protocols, Satellite protocols, and many others
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 What you can do using NS-2
 You can modify NS-2:
 to implement your own versions of the above
protocols or
 even code totally new protocols
 Measurement of Statistics:
 Throughput, Delay, Jitter, routing overhead, etc.
 Queue Monitoring, Drops at Queues.
 Literally all that you will need to know with your
simulations.
 Graphic visualization - using “NAM” (Network
Animator)
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 NS-2 : Components
 NS – The simulator itself
 NAM – Network AniMator
 Visual demonstration of NS output
 Nam editor: GUI interface to generate ns scripts
 Preprocessing
 Handwritten TCL or
 Traffic and topology generator
 Post analysis
 Trace analysis using Perl/TCL/AWK/MATLAB

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 NS-2 : Components…
 Pre-processing
•Traffic and topology model
 Post-processing
•Trace analysis, often in awk, perl, or tcl
 Simulation procedure
Define Simulation
problem model

Extend
simulator

Post-process Execute
results simulation

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User’s view of NS-2

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 Architectural View of NS-2

Event ns-2
Scheduler

Component
tclcl

Network
otcl
tcl8.0
 otcl: Object-oriented support
 tclcl: C++ and otcl linkage
 Discrete event scheduler
 Data network components
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 NS-2 : C++ / OTCL
 NS-2 Code contains two sets of languages,
namely C++ and OTcl.

 C++ is used for the creation of objects

because of speed and efficiency.

 OTcl is used as a front-end to setup the

simulator, configure objects, and schedule
events because of its ease of use.

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 Why two languages? (Tcl & C++)
 C++: Detailed protocol simulations require
systems programming language
 byte manipulation, packet processing, algorithm
implementation
 Fast to run, detailed, slow to modify
 Turn around time (run simulation, find bug, fix bug,
recompile, re-run) is slower
 Tcl: Simulation of slightly varying parameters or
configurations
 quickly exploring a number of scenarios
 Simulation scenario configurations
 Manipulating existing C++ objects
 fast to write and change
 iteration time (change the model and re-run) is more
important 22
 Tcl or C++?
 Tcl
 Simple Configuration, Setup, Scenario
 If it’s something that can be done without
modifying existing Tcl module.
 C++
 Anything that requires processing each
packet
 Needs to change behavior of existing
module
+ running vs. writing speed
– Learning and debugging (two languages)
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 OTcl-C++ linkage

C++

C++/OTcl
split
objects

otcl

 OTcl (object variant of Tcl) and C++ share

class hierarchy
 TclCL is glue library that makes it easy to
share functions, variables, etc
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 Shadowing

TclObject OTcl class C++ class TclObject()

hierarchy hierarchy

Agent Agent()

Agent/DSDV DSDVAgent()

Agent/DSDV OTcl Agent/DSDV C++

shadow object object
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 NS-2 Environment
Simulation 1 2
Scenario

set ns_ [new Simulator]

Tcl Script set node_(0) [$ns_ node]
set node_(1) [$ns_ node]

class MobileNode : public Node

{
C++ friend class PositionHandler;
public:
Implementation MobileNode();
•
•
}
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 NS-2 Directory Structure

sim

tcl8.0 tk8.0 otcl Tcl ns-2 nam-1

tcl code C++ code
tcl ...
example
ex test lib ...
validation test tcl code core

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 NS Models
 Traffic models and applications:
 Web, FTP, telnet, constant-bit rate (CBR), real audio
 Transport protocols:
 unicast: TCP (Reno, Vegas, etc.), UDP
 Multicast:
 Routing and queuing:
 Wired routing, ad hoc rtg and directed diffusion
 queueing protocols: RED, drop-tail, etc
 Physical media:
 Wired (point-to-point, LANs), wireless (multiple
propagation models), satellite
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 Design your simulation
 Goal and expected results
 Network topology
 Node
 Link
 Specify Agents
 Protocol
 Traffic
 Simulation Scenario

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 Network Topology - Node

n0 n1

Port Unicast Multicast

Classifier dmux_
Node Node
Addr classifier_
Classifier
Node entry Node entry
dmux_
entry_ entry_ Multicast
classifier_ Classifier

multiclassifier_

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 Network Topology - Link

n0 n1

n1
head_ entry_
enqT_ queue_ deqT_ link_ ttl_

drophead_ drpT_

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 Network Topology - Routing

n0 n1

Port
Classifier
Addr
Classifier
Node entry n1
0 dmux_ head_ entry
enqT_ queue_ deqT_ link_ ttl_ _
entry_ 1
classifier_ drophead_ drpT_

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 Network Topology – Routing…

n0 n1

Port Port
Classifier Classifier
Addr Addr
Classifier Classifier
0 dmux_ 1 dmux_
Link n0-n1
entry_ 1 entry_ 0
classifier_ classifier_

Link n1-n0

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 Network Topology - Transport

n0 n1

Port Port
Classifier dst_=1.0 Classifier dst_=0.0
Addr Agent/TCP Addr Agent/TCPSink
Classifier
0 Classifier
0
agents_ agents_
0 dmux_ 1 dmux_
Link n0-n1
entry_ 1 entry_ 0
classifier_ classifier_

Link n1-n0

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 Network Topology - Application

n0 n1

Port Application/FTP Port

Classifier dst_=1.0 Classifier dst_=0.0
Addr Agent/TCP Addr Agent/TCPSink
Classifier
0 Classifier
0
agents_ agents_
0 dmux_ 1 dmux_
Link n0-n1
entry_ 1 entry_ 0
classifier_ classifier_

Link n1-n0

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 Packet Flow

n0 n1

Port Application/FTP Port

Classifier dst_=1.0 Classifier dst_=0.0
Addr Agent/TCP Addr Agent/TCPSink
Classifier
0 Classifier
0
0 1
Link n0-n1
entry_ 1 entry_ 0

Link n1-n0

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 NS programming
 Create the event scheduler
 Turn on tracing
 Create network
 Setup routing
 Insert errors
 Create transport connection
 Create traffic
 Transmit application-level data

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 TCL script
 TCL script for scenario setup
 Scenario script format
 Simulator object
 Trace file
 Finish procedure
 Network setup (node, link, agent, parameter…)
 Other procedure, if any
 Event scheduling (run simulation, stop simulation …)

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 A TCL script example

n0 n1

Network Topology Traffic Generation

set ns [new Simulator] set ftp [new Application/FTP]
set n0 [$ns node] $ftp attach-agent $tcp
set n1 [$ns node] $ns at 0.2 "$ftp start"
$ns at 1.2 "exit"
$ns duplex-link $n0 $n1 1.5Mb
$ns run
10ms DropTail
Transport Protocol
set tcp [new Agent/TCP]
$ns attach-agent $n0 $tcp
set sink[new Agent/TCPSink]
$ns attach-agent $n1 $sink 39
A Simulation Example

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 TCL Script Step 1

#Create a simulator object # has denotes a one line

comment
set ns [new Simulator] ns holds the name of the
new simulation
#Open the NAM trace file
set nf [open out.nam w]
$ns namtrace-all $nf

#Open the general trace file

set f [open out.tr w]
$ns trace-all $f

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 TCL Script Step 2

#Create four nodes

set n0 [$ns node]
set n1 [$ns node]
set n2 [$ns node]
set n3 [$ns node]

#Create links between the nodes

$ns duplex-link $n0 $n2 2Mb 10ms DropTail
$ns duplex-link $n1 $n2 2Mb 10ms DropTail
$ns duplex-link $n2 $n3 1.7Mb 20ms DropTail

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 TCL Script Step 3
#Set Queue Size of link (n2-n3) to 10
$ns queue-limit $n2 $n3 10

#Setup a TCP connection

set tcp [new Agent/TCP]
$ns attach-agent $n0 $tcp
set sink [new Agent/TCPSink]
$ns attach-agent $n3 $sink
$ns connect $tcp $sink

#Setup a FTP over TCP connection

set ftp [new Application/FTP]
$ftp attach-agent $tcp
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 TCL Script Step 4
#Setup a UDP connection
set udp [new Agent/UDP]
$ns attach-agent $n1 $udp
set null [new Agent/Null]
$ns attach-agent $n3 $null
$ns connect $udp $null

#Setup a CBR over UDP connection

set cbr [new Application/Traffic/CBR]
$cbr attach-agent $udp
$cbr set packet_size_ 1000
$cbr set rate_ 1mb

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 TCL Script Step 5

#Schedule events for the CBR and FTP agents

$ns at 0.1 "$cbr start"
$ns at 1.0 "$ftp start"
$ns at 4.0 "$ftp stop"
$ns at 4.5 "$cbr stop"

#Call the finish procedure after 5 seconds of simulation

time
$ns at 5.0 "finish"

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 TCL Script Step 6
#Define a 'finish' procedure
proc finish {} {
global ns nf
$ns flush-trace
#Close the NAM trace file
close $nf
#Execute NAM on the trace file
exec nam out.nam &
exit 0
}
#Run the simulation
$ns run
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 Run simulation program
 Usage: ns file.tcl
 If the C++ source codes are modified, re-
compilation is required

 What ns-2 does:

 Read the tcl file
 Run the simulation program
 Create trace files
 NAM (network animator) input files
 Statistics (you may need to write post processing
scripts like awk file to find throughput, PDR…)

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 Analyze trace file
 Use some scripts like awk or Perl, to filter
the trace file

 Use Excel, MATLAB or xgraph to plot the

results

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Trace file

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Plot results in MATLAB, Excel

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 8
Matlab scalar 2D plots
7

50
5

40
4
30

3
20

10 2
8
6 8
4 6 1
4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2 2
0 0

1
50
2
40
3
30
4
20
5
10
8 6
6 8
4 6
4 7
2 2
0 0
8
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Simple Simulation using NAM

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Ns-2 for Wireless and Mobile
networks

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 Wireless and mobile network
simulation in ns-2
 Contributed from CMU’s Monarch project
(Wireless extension to ns-2)
 Various modules were added to ns-2 to simulate
node mobility and wireless networking
 Mobile Node
 Ad-hoc Routing(DSR, DSDV, TORA, AODV)
 MAC 802.11
 Radio Propagation Model
 Channel

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 Wireless and Mobile networks
Internals
 Mobile node
 Basic node that has address and port de-muxes,
routing agent etc
 Stack of network components consisting of LL,
MAC, NetIF, radio-model etc
 Wireless channel

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 Representation of A Mobile Node

port
Node classifier
protocol
agent Classifier:
Forwarding
255
Agent: Protocol
routing
addr
classifier defaulttarge agent
Entity
t_ Node Entry
LL ARP
LL LL: Link layer object
IFQ
IFQ IFQ: Interface queue
MAC

Propagation
MAC MAC: Mac object
PHY and antenna
models
MobileNode
PHY PHY: Net interface
CHANNEL
Prop/ant Radio propagation/
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antenna models
 Mobile Node Components
 Agent
 Responsible for packet generations and receptions
 Can think of it as an application and transport layers
 CBR(Constant Bit Rate), TCP, Sink, UDP, FTP, etc.
 Rtagent (DSDV, AODV …)
 Ad-hoc network routing protocols
 Configure multi-hop routes for packets
 LL (Link Layer)
 Runs data link protocols
 Fragmentation and reassembly of packet
 Runs Address Resolution Protocol(ARP) to resolve IP
address to MAC address conversions
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 Mobile Node Components…
 Classifiers
• defaulttarget_ points to routing agent object
• 255 is the port id assigned for rtagent_
 ARP
• Resolves IP address to hardware (MAC) address
• Broadcasts ARP query
 IFq (Interface Queue)
 PriQueue is implemented to give priority to routing protocol
packets
 Supports filter to remove packets destined to specific address

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 Mobile Node: Components
 MAC Layer
 802.11
•IEEE RTS/CTS/DATA/ACK for unicast
•Sends DATA directly for broadcast
 NetIF (Network Interfaces)
 Hardware interface used by mobile node to access the channel
 Simulates signal integrity, collision, tx error
 Mark each transmitted packet with transmission power,
wavelength etc.
 Radio Propagation Model
 Friss-space model – attenuation at near distance
 Two-ray ground reflection model for far distance
 Shadowing model -probabilistic
 Antenna
 Implements Omni Directional Antenna module which has
unity gain for all direction

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Wireless Simulation in ns-2 (Mobile Node
Diagram - DSDV)
Agent
(Src/Sink)

Demux
Port
Demux
Addr
RTagent
(DSDV)

LL ARP

IFq

MAC

Radio
Propagation NetIF
Model

Channel

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 Running a simulation-Scenario
500m

TCP TCP TCPsink TCPsink

TCPsink
500m

node_(0) node_(0) node_(1) node_(1)

node_(1)

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 Setting Up Variables

# Define how a mobile node is configured

#======================================================================
# Define options
#======================================================================
set val(chan) Channel/WirelessChannel ;# channel type
set val(prop) Propagation/TwoRayGround ;# radio-propagation model
set val(ant) Antenna/OmniAntenna ;# Antenna type
set val(ll) LL ;# Link layer type
set val(ifq) Queue/DropTail/PriQueue ;# Interface queue type
set val(ifqlen) 50 ;# max packet in ifq
set val(netif) Phy/WirelessPhy ;# network interface type
set val(mac) Mac/802_11 ;# MAC type
set val(rp) DSDV ;# ad-hoc routing protocol
set val(nn) 2 ;# number of mobilenodes

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 Setting Up Variables…
#Instantiate simulator object

set ns_ [new Simulator]

#Setup Trace File

set tracefd [open simple.tr w]
$ns_ trace-all $tracefd

#create a topology in a 1000m x 900m area

set topo [new Topography]

$topo load_flatgrid 1000 900

#Create Object God

create-god $val(nn)

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 GOD
(General Operations Director)
 Stores smallest number of hops from one node
to another
 Optimal case to compare routing protocol
performance
 Automatically generated by scenario file
 set god [create-god <no of mnodes>]
 $god set-dist <from> <to> <#hops>

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 Configuring Mobile nodes
# Configure nodes
$ns_ node-config -adhocRouting $val(rp) \
-llType $val(ll) \
-macType $val(mac) \
-ifqType $val(ifq) \
-ifqLen $val(ifqlen) \
-antType $val(ant) \
-propType $val(prop) \
-phyType $val(netif) \
-topoInstance $topo \
-channelType $val(chan) \
-agentTrace ON \
-routerTrace ON \
-macTrace OFF \
-movementTrace OFF
for {set i 0} {$i < $val(nn) } {incr i} {
set node_($i) [$ns_ node ]
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$node_($i) random-motion 0 ;# disable random motion }
 Configuring nodes’ movement
#Configure Initial location of mobile nodes
$node_(0) set X_ 5.0
$node_(0) set Y_ 2.0
$node_(0) set Z_ 0.0
$node_(1) set X_ 390.0
$node_(1) set Y_ 385.0
$node_(1) set Z_ 0.0

#Create movement of mobile nodes

# Node_(1) starts to move towards node_(0)

$ns_ at 50.0 "$node_(1) setdest 25.0 20.0 15.0"
$ns_ at 10.0 "$node_(0) setdest 20.0 18.0 1.0"

# Node_(1) then starts to move away from node_(0)

$ns_ at 100.0 "$node_(1) setdest 490.0 480.0 15.0"
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 Setup traffic flow
set tcp [new Agent/TCP]
set sink [new Agent/TCPSink]
$ns attach-agent $node_(0) $tcp
$ns attach-agent $node_(1) $sink
$ns connect $tcp $sink
set ftp [new Application/FTP]
$ftp attach-agent $tcp
$ns at 10.0 "$ftp start"

FTP

TCP Sink

node_(0) node_(1) 67
 Set Stop Time and Start Simulation
#Set Simulation Stop Time

# Telling nodes when the simulation ends

for {set i 0} {$i < $val(nn) } {incr i} {
$ns_ at 150.0 "$node_($i) reset";
}
#Ending the simulation
$ns_ at 150.0001 "stop"
$ns_ at 150.0002 "puts \"NS EXITING...\" ;
$ns_ halt" proc stop {} { global ns_ tracefd
close $tracefd }

#Finally, Start The Simulation

puts "Starting Simulation..."
$ns_ run
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 Trace File
r 100.381997477 _1_ AGT --- 82 tcp 1060 [13a 1 0 800]
------- [0:0 1:0 32 1] [32 0] 1 0

r:receive event, 100.381997477:time stamps,

_1_:node 1, AGT:trace generated by agent,
82:event(pkt) id, tcp: tcp packet,
1060:packet size,
13a(hex):expected duration of pkt transmission (not working), 1:sender
mac id, 0:transmitter mac id,
800:pkt type IP (806 for ARP), 0:0: sender address:port#
1:0: receiver address:port#, 32: TTL
1: next hop address, [32 0]: TCP sequence #, ack #

69