Abstract: Mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a continuously self configuring, infrastructure-less network of mobile devices connected without wires. Ad hoc is Latin and means “for this purpose”. Routing protocols like Destination-Sequenced Distance-Vector (DSDV), Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector Routing (AODV), and Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) and Ad hoc on Demand Multipath Distance Vector (AOMDV) have been implemented. In this paper, performance of two prominent on-demand reactive routing protocols for mobile ad hoc networks: DSR and AODV, along with the proactive DSDV protocol have been analyzed. The On-demand protocols, AODV and DSR perform better than the table-driven DSDV protocol. Although DSR and AODV share similar on-demand behaviour, the differences in the protocol mechanics can lead to significant performance differentials like Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), throughput, control overhead, delay. The various performance differentials have been analyzed by varying network traffic, mobility, and network size.

Keywords: Source Routing, DSDV, DSR, AODV, PDR