Introduction about INET simulator: Simulation is a technique to visualize network operations. INET is a simulator that is used as modern technology and also it makes good bond by communication and sharing the information. So, this is mandatory to know our modern technology and how it works. 

“In this article, we learn about INET simulator, its uses, modules, and so on”

           In the platform of OMNeT++ simulation, INET is an open-source modern library. It is useful for students and researchers to give agents, protocols more models for communication. Then these kinds of INET s are mainly useful for validating a new protocol and designing a new protocol or used when we built a new scenario.

Uses of INET simulator

• Inet provides full support for a wired and wireless network, wireless sensor network, Communication network, and mobile phones.
• It is also useful for network emulation, node mobility, and advanced visualization, and others.
• This simulator contains lots of link-layer protocols and internet stack protocols and other supported protocols. They are listed below,
• Internets stack protocol: BGP, TCP, UDP, OSPF, IPv4, IPv6, and so on.
• Link Layer Protocol: IEEE 802.11, Ethernet, Sensor MAC protocols, PPP, etc.
• Other protocols: RSVP-DV, INETMANET routing protocol, Wireless physical layer   protocol, MPLS with LDP and DiffServ, etc.

           The above details are about where the inet simulator is used and what kind of protocols it should be followed. Our experts are having more knowledge about these kinds of protocols and we develop lots of projects related to these protocols. Then we will see about network interfaces in the INET simulator.

Network Interface Modules

Mainly network interface module is more useful for communication between the nodes in the network. Because of node communication lot of arising problems will be stopped by providing the interfaces.

• Network interfaces are implemented by using OMNeT++ modules
• These modules check the interface INetworkInterface
• INetworkInterface can be classified into two subcategories based on their wired and wireless properties
• There are, IWiredInterface and IWirelessInterface
• On the side of the operating system, the network interface is defined by combining hardware and software elements

Here, IWiredInterface is representing the wired network elements and IWirelessInterface represents the Wireless network elements. We have a lot of project new ideas based on wired and wireless networks. In the next part, we go to discuss the built-in network interface and which contains interface modules also.

How to build a network interface?

           In this part, we contain some predefined protocols and some IEEE standards which are used to create an Interface. Protocol tunneling and Hardware emulation are an example of pre-assemble interface protocols provided by INET simulators. Some common network interfaces and their uses are listed below,

• LoopbackInterface: It is useful to local loopback between the nodes in the network.
• EthernetInterface: It defines the interface with Ethernet.
• ExtLowerEthernetInterface: It is suitable for simulation of Hardware in the loop and defining the real-world interface.
• PppInterface: use of PPP protocol in wired networks.
• LMacInterface, XMacInterface, and BMacInterface: It gives a simple hypothetical PHY protocol along with low-power wireless sensor MAC protocols.
• IEEE802154NarrowbandInterface , IEEE802154UwblrInterface: IT represent IEEE standard IEEE 802.15.4 interface
• IEEE80211Interface: It denotes wireless interface IEEE 802.11.
• TunInterface: It is directly used in tunneling applications.

These are some IEEE standards and other interfaces. The network interface is formed using these kinds of interfaces. Here some additional modules are present for the built-in network node. We also know the INET simulator provides a lot of pre-defined modules to select a component. Then we will discuss some top-level modules used to build a Network node.

How to build Network Node with Top-Level-Modules?

           INET helps to customize the network with the use of specific parameters and parametric submodules. These modules are representing only the local node and do not represent the global nodes. The creation of a special network node is important for some specific simulation scenarios. Efficient modules for creating a network node is mentioned below,

• Router: It gives some common protocols for routing like RIP, PIM, OSPF, and BGP.
• AdhocHost: It enables the forwarding and ad-hoc configuration. It is also known as WirelessHost.
• StandardHost: It provides support for the optional energy model; optional mobility model and entire configuration of more applications from INI files. It consists of more number of internet protocols like IEEE 802.11, Ethernet, IPv6, IPv4, TCP, and UDP.
• WirelessHost: It has a default network interface for infrastructure and it is also used with Accesspoint.
• AccessPoint: It consists of multiple IEEE 802.11 network interfaces and multiple Ethernet ports for wireless access.
• EthernetSwitch: It is called as Ethernet Switch model and it has one MAC address for one port and a relay unit. 

From the above list, we gain some knowledge about modules used to create an efficient network node and the usage of that kind of module in the network interface. Then we will discuss the Experimentation design of INET simulators and that section also has some kind of modules and we learn briefly about those modules.

Experimental Design for INET Simulator

           Basically, by the process of message passing communication, the INET is built. And it consists of agents, networks, hosts, routers, etc. Let us see how the design has been implemented from the below points,

• The combination of Switches, Hosts, Routers, and other networking devices is called components.
• Here, the component represents agent protocol and also network Protocol.
• The existing program of components is easy to understand. So from the existing component, we are also able to modify the new component.

OMNeT++ provides the infrastructure for INET. This platform provides services for kernel simulation and library simulation like result recording, component model, parameterization. Here, we consider some designing modules for the simulator and the work of those modules can be listed below.

Modules for Designing INET simulator

• Buffers: In this module allocating memory for the packets and order of the packet is not matter in this module. Packets are doing not pulled and pushed from it. Because the Packet buffer does not contain gates.
• Token generator: These token generation module also does not contain gates. So, pushing and pulling packets from it is not possible. This module generates tokens for all the other modules.
• Queues: The main purpose of this module is to maintain the order and store the packets. Packets are available at any time because it does not have delayed packets and does not have an empty queue. When the queue gets an input packet that packet will be stored. It is dropped when the queue is overloaded. If a queue received an output packet then it returns the stored packets.
• Marker: In this module, the packets can be performing push and pull operations because of packet markers. Information is stored in a packet-based on individual actions.
• Scheduler: When the output queue gets a packet from the packet scheduler then it pulls immediately to the input queue and gets the return to the packets.
• Filters: In this module when the input queue of packet filters gets packets, then it performs filter operation and pushes the packets to the output queue otherwise drops the packet. If the packet pulls to the output queue of the packet filter and it is pulled continuously to the drop of the packets.
• Classifiers: These models classify the packets based on their outputs, When packet classifiers get output packets, then they directly send the packet to one of the outputs.

From the above modules, we learn how the packets are traveled in the INET simulator and these are the basic modules to build an efficient simulator. Our experts have more experience with these kinds of modules and their working process. Then we will see about transport protocol that is mostly useful for INET. 

Transport and Network Protocols:

INET gives support for UDP, TCP, RTP, and SCTP protocols. Using this kind of protocol the performance of the simulator is increased. And it has some other protocols also there are listed below,

Transport Protocol:

• Reference model: OSI Model.
• The transport layer provides : Host-to-Host Communication
• Services: reliability, Multiplexing, and flow control.

Network Protocol:

• INET nodes: Router and StandardHost
• Protocols: IPv4 and IPv6

Internet Routing

BGP, OSPF, Internet routing protocols, and RIP are some models which are used by INET Simulator. The above topics give an idea about network and transport protocol, internet routing protocols. Finally, we discuss some collection of statistic results that are given by OMNeT++ and having some features for simulation that are as follows, 

• Recording Routing Table 
• Recording statistic
• Measuring along with Packet Flows
• Recording PCAP Traces

So far, we discuss the INET, its usage and how kind of network interface is followed by this simulator, how to build an interface and network node with efficient modules and protocols, and simulation results. We hope this article is useful for gaining more knowledge about the INET simulator. If you have further questions regarding the INET simulation, then approach us.

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