RFC 3626 (rfc3626) - Page 1 of 75
Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR)
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
Network Working Group T. Clausen, Ed.
Request for Comments: 3626 P. Jacquet, Ed.
Category: Experimental Project Hipercom, INRIA
October 2003
Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR)
Status of this Memo
This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind.
Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested.
Distribution of this memo is unlimited.
Copyright Notice
Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2003). All Rights Reserved.
Abstract
This document describes the Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR)
protocol for mobile ad hoc networks. The protocol is an optimization
of the classical link state algorithm tailored to the requirements of
a mobile wireless LAN. The key concept used in the protocol is that
of multipoint relays (MPRs). MPRs are selected nodes which forward
broadcast messages during the flooding process. This technique
substantially reduces the message overhead as compared to a classical
flooding mechanism, where every node retransmits each message when it
receives the first copy of the message. In OLSR, link state
information is generated only by nodes elected as MPRs. Thus, a
second optimization is achieved by minimizing the number of control
messages flooded in the network. As a third optimization, an MPR
node may chose to report only links between itself and its MPR
selectors. Hence, as contrary to the classic link state algorithm,
partial link state information is distributed in the network. This
information is then used for route calculation. OLSR provides
optimal routes (in terms of number of hops). The protocol is
particularly suitable for large and dense networks as the technique
of MPRs works well in this context.
Clausen & Jacquet Experimental
