How to implement RPL protocol in OMNeT++

To implement the Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL-IPv6) protocol in OMNeT++ has needs to emulate the features of RPL that contains the construction and maintenance of Destination-Oriented Directed Acyclic Graphs (DODAGs) and the exchange of control messages. The below are the detailed guides on how to implement the RPL protocol in OMNeT++ using the INET framework:

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Install OMNeT++ and INET Framework

Make sure we have OMNeT++ and the INET Framework installed.

2. Create a New OMNeT++ Project

1. Open OMNeT++ IDE: Start the OMNeT++ IDE.
2. Create a New Project: Go to File -> New -> OMNeT++ Project. Name the project like RPLSimulation.

3. Define the Network Topology

Generate a new NED file to describe network topology has contains hosts and routers that will run the RPL protocol.

Example: RPL Network Topology (RPLNetwork.ned)

package rplnetwork;

import inet.node.inet.StandardHost;

import inet.node.inet.Router;

network RPLNetwork

{

parameters:

@display(“bgb=800,400”);

submodules:

host1: StandardHost {

@display(“p=100,200”);

}

host2: StandardHost {

@display(“p=300,200”);

}

router1: Router {

@display(“p=200,100”);

}

router2: Router {

@display(“p=200,300”);

}

router3: Router {

@display(“p=400,200”);

}

connections allowunconnected:

host1.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router1.ethg++;

host2.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router2.ethg++;

router1.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router3.ethg++;

router2.ethg++ <–> Eth10M <–> router3.ethg++;

}

4. Configure the Simulation

Create an OMNeT++ initialization file to configure the parameters of the simulation.

Example: Configuration File (omnetpp.ini)

network = rplnetwork.RPLNetwork

sim-time-limit = 200s

# Visualization

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayBackground = true

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayGrid = true

# Host Configuration

*.host*.numApps = 1

*.host*.app[0].typename = “UdpBasicApp”

*.host*.app[0].destAddresses = “host2”

*.host*.app[0].destPort = 5000

*.host*.app[0].messageLength = 1024B

*.host*.app[0].sendInterval = 1s

# Router Configuration

*.router*.numApps = 1

*.router*.app[0].typename = “RPLApp”

5. Create IP Address Configuration Files

Create XML files to define the IP address configuration for each node.

Example: IP Configuration File for host1 (host1.xml)

<config>

<interface>

<name>eth0</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:1::1</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for host2 (host2.xml)

<config>

<interface>

<name>eth0</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:1::2</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for router1 (router1.xml)

<config>

<interface>

<name>eth0</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:1::ff01</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

<interface>

<name>eth1</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:2::1</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for router2 (router2.xml)

<config>

<interface>

<name>eth0</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:1::ff02</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

<interface>

<name>eth1</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:2::2</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

</config>

Example: IP Configuration File for router3 (router3.xml)

<config>

<interface>

<name>eth0</name>

<address>2001:0db8:0:2::ff03</address>

<netmask>64</netmask>

</interface>

</config>

6. Implement RPL Logic

To emulate the RPL protocol to execute an application that manages the exchange of RPL messages and updates the routing table.

Example: RPL Router Application (Pseudo-Code)

#include <omnetpp.h>

#include <inet/applications/base/ApplicationBase.h>

#include <inet/networklayer/contract/ipv6/Ipv6Address.h>

#include <inet/networklayer/routing/Ipv6RoutingTable.h>

#include <inet/common/ModuleAccess.h>

#include <map>

using namespace omnetpp;

using namespace inet;

class RPLApp : public ApplicationBase

{

protected:

struct RouteEntry {

Ipv6Address nextHop;

int rank;

};

std::map<Ipv6Address, RouteEntry> rplRoutingTable;

simtime_t updateInterval;

cMessage *updateTimer;

virtual void initialize(int stage) override;

virtual void handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) override;

void handlePacket(cMessage *msg);

void sendDIO();

void processDIO(cMessage *msg);

void addOrUpdateRoute(const Ipv6Address &dest, const Ipv6Address &nextHop, int rank);

};

Define_Module(RPLApp);

 

void RPLApp::initialize(int stage) {

ApplicationBase::initialize(stage);

if (stage == INITSTAGE_APPLICATION_LAYER) {

updateInterval = par(“updateInterval”);

updateTimer = new cMessage(“updateTimer”);

scheduleAt(simTime() + updateInterval, updateTimer);

}

}

void RPLApp::handleMessageWhenUp(cMessage *msg) {

if (msg == updateTimer) {

sendDIO();

scheduleAt(simTime() + updateInterval, updateTimer);

} else if (msg->isPacket()) {

handlePacket(msg);

} else {

ApplicationBase::handleMessageWhenUp(msg);

}

}

void RPLApp::handlePacket(cMessage *msg) {

if (strcmp(msg->getName(), “DIO”) == 0) {

processDIO(msg);

} else {

// Handle other packet types

}

}

void RPLApp::sendDIO() {

// Create and send DIO (DODAG Information Object) messages to neighbors

for (auto &entry : rplRoutingTable) {

cMessage *dioMsg = new cMessage(“DIO”);

dioMsg->addPar(“srcAddr”) = Ipv6Address(“2001:0db8:0:1::ff01”).str().c_str();

dioMsg->addPar(“rank”) = 1; // Example rank

send(dioMsg, “ifOut”);

}

}

void RPLApp::processDIO(cMessage *msg) {

// Process incoming DIO messages

Ipv6Address srcAddr = Ipv6Address(msg->par(“srcAddr”).stringValue());

int rank = msg->par(“rank”);

addOrUpdateRoute(srcAddr, srcAddr, rank);

delete msg;

}

void RPLApp::addOrUpdateRoute(const Ipv6Address &dest, const Ipv6Address &nextHop, int rank) {

auto it = rplRoutingTable.find(dest);

if (it == rplRoutingTable.end() || it->second.rank > rank) {

rplRoutingTable[dest] = {nextHop, rank};

}

}

7. Configure and Initialize the Simulation

Make sure the routers are configured to use the custom RPL protocol.

Example: Configuration File (omnetpp.ini)

network = rplnetwork.RPLNetwork

sim-time-limit = 200s

# Visualization

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayBackground = true

*.visualizer.canvasVisualizer.displayGrid = true

# Host Configuration

*.host*.numApps = 1

*.host*.app[0].typename = “UdpBasicApp”

*.host*.app[0].destAddresses = “host2”

*.host*.app[0].destPort = 5000

*.host*.app[0].messageLength = 1024B

*.host*.app[0].sendInterval = 1s

# Router Configuration

*.router*.numApps = 1

*.router*.app[0].typename = “RPLApp”

*.router*.app[0].updateInterval = 15s

8. Run the Simulation

1. Build the Project: Right-click on project and choose Build Project.
2. Run the Simulation: Click on the green play button in the OMNeT++ IDE to start the simulation.

As we discussed earlier about how the Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks will perform in OMNeT++  simulator and we help to provide further information about how the Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks will adapt in different environments. Implementation on RPL protocol in OMNeT++tool are aided by our developers, to get more project execution ideas you van approach us.