To implement network backhaul in ns3, we need to follow several steps. Because this backhaul network is crucial for managing data traffic between different parts of the network. This network infrastructure that connects various access networks (like Wi-Fi, LTE, etc.) to the core network for simulation. The following step will guide on implementing network backhaul in ns3.
Step-by-step guide to implement network backhaul in ns3:
Step 1: Set Up ns3 Environment
- Download ns-3: Download ns3
- Install ns-3: Follow the installation instructions for operating system.
- Familiarize yourself with ns-3 basics: Understand how to create nodes, set up channels, and run basic simulations.
Step 2: Define Network Topology
Create a network topology that includes access networks connected to a core network via a backhaul.
Create Backhaul Network Topology
#include “ns3/core-module.h”
#include “ns3/network-module.h”
#include “ns3/internet-module.h”
#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”
#include “ns3/wifi-module.h”
#include “ns3/lte-module.h”
#include “ns3/applications-module.h”
#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”
using namespace ns3;
NS_LOG_COMPONENT_DEFINE(“BackhaulNetworkSimulation”);
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
CommandLine cmd;
cmd.Parse(argc, argv);
// Create nodes
NodeContainer coreNodes;
coreNodes.Create(2); // Core network nodes
NodeContainer accessNodes;
accessNodes.Create(4); // Access network nodes (Wi-Fi, LTE, etc.)
NodeContainer backhaulNodes;
backhaulNodes.Create(2); // Backhaul network nodes
// Set up core network (point-to-point links)
PointToPointHelper pointToPoint;
pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Gbps”));
pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“1ms”));
NetDeviceContainer coreDevices;
coreDevices.Add(pointToPoint.Install(coreNodes.Get(0), backhaulNodes.Get(0)));
coreDevices.Add(pointToPoint.Install(backhaulNodes.Get(1), coreNodes.Get(1)));
// Set up backhaul network (point-to-point links)
pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));
pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“10ms”));
NetDeviceContainer backhaulDevices;
backhaulDevices.Add(pointToPoint.Install(backhaulNodes.Get(0), backhaulNodes.Get(1)));
// Set up Wi-Fi access network
YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();
YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();
wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());
WifiHelper wifi;
wifi.SetRemoteStationManager(“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);
WifiMacHelper wifiMac;
Ssid ssid = Ssid(“ns-3-ssid”);
wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::StaWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid), “ActiveProbing”, BooleanValue(false));
NetDeviceContainer wifiDevices;
wifiDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, accessNodes.Get(0));
wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::ApWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid));
wifiDevices.Add(wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, backhaulNodes.Get(0)));
// Set up LTE access network
Ptr<LteHelper> lteHelper = CreateObject<LteHelper>();
Ptr<PointToPointEpcHelper> epcHelper = CreateObject<PointToPointEpcHelper>();
lteHelper->SetEpcHelper(epcHelper);
Ptr<Node> pgw = epcHelper->GetPgwNode();
InternetStackHelper internet;
internet.Install(accessNodes);
internet.Install(coreNodes);
internet.Install(backhaulNodes)
NodeContainer ueNodes;
ueNodes.Add(accessNodes.Get(1));
NodeContainer enbNodes;
enbNodes.Add(backhaulNodes.Get(1));
NetDeviceContainer enbLteDevs = lteHelper->InstallEnbDevice(enbNodes);
NetDeviceContainer ueLteDevs = lteHelper->InstallUeDevice(ueNodes);
lteHelper->Attach(ueLteDevs, enbLteDevs.Get(0));
// Assign IP addresses
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer coreInterfaces = address.Assign(coreDevices);
address.SetBase(“10.2.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer backhaulInterfaces = address.Assign(backhaulDevices);
address.SetBase(“10.3.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer wifiInterfaces = address.Assign(wifiDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer ueIpIface;
ueIpIface = epcHelper->AssignUeIpv4Address(NetDeviceContainer(ueLteDevs));
Ptr<Node> ueNode = ueNodes.Get(0);
Ptr<Ipv4StaticRouting>ueStaticRouting = Ipv4RoutingHelper::GetRouting<Ipv4StaticRouting>(ueNode->GetObject<Ipv4>()->GetRoutingProtocol());
ueStaticRouting->SetDefaultRoute(epcHelper->GetUeDefaultGatewayAddress(), 1);
// Install applications
UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);
ApplicationContainer serverApps = echoServer.Install(coreNodes.Get(1));
serverApps.Start(Seconds(1.0));
serverApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));
UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(coreInterfaces.GetAddress(1), 9);
echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(10));
echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));
echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));
ApplicationContainer clientApps = echoClient.Install(accessNodes.Get(0));
clientApps.Start(Seconds(2.0));
clientApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));
// Enable tracing
pointToPoint.EnablePcapAll(“backhaul-network”);
wifiPhy.EnablePcap(“wifi”, wifiDevices.Get(0));
lteHelper->EnableTraces();
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
return 0;
}
Step 3: Configure Mobility
To simulate realistic scenarios where access nodes can move, set up mobility models.
// Set up mobility
MobilityHelper mobility;
mobility.SetPositionAllocator(“ns3::GridPositionAllocator”,
“MinX”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“MinY”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“DeltaX”, DoubleValue(5.0),
“DeltaY”, DoubleValue(10.0),
“GridWidth”, UintegerValue(3),
“LayoutType”, StringValue(“RowFirst”));
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);
mobility.Install(coreNodes);
mobility.Install(backhaulNodes);
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::RandomWalk2dMobilityModel”,
“Bounds”, RectangleValue(Rectangle(-50, 50, -50, 50)));
mobility.Install(accessNodes);
Step 4: Install and Configure Applications
To generate and process network traffic, install applications on the nodes.
// Install applications
UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);
ApplicationContainer serverApps = echoServer.Install(coreNodes.Get(1));
serverApps.Start(Seconds(1.0));
serverApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));
UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(coreInterfaces.GetAddress(1), 9);
echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(10));
echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));
echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));
ApplicationContainer clientApps = echoClient.Install(accessNodes.Get(0));
clientApps.Start(Seconds(2.0));
clientApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));
Step 5: Enable Tracing
To analyze the network performance, enable tracing.
// Enable tracing
pointToPoint.EnablePcapAll(“backhaul-network”);
wifiPhy.EnablePcap(“wifi”, wifiDevices.Get(0));
lteHelper->EnableTraces();
Full Example Code
Combining all the steps, the full example code is as follows:
#include “ns3/core-module.h”
#include “ns3/network-module.h”
#include “ns3/internet-module.h”
#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”
#include “ns3/wifi-module.h”
#include “ns3/lte-module.h”
#include “ns3/applications-module.h”
#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”
using namespace ns3;
NS_LOG_COMPONENT_DEFINE(“BackhaulNetworkSimulation”);
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
CommandLine cmd;
cmd.Parse(argc, argv);
// Create nodes
NodeContainer coreNodes;
coreNodes.Create(2); // Core network nodes
NodeContainer accessNodes;
accessNodes.Create(4); // Access network nodes (Wi-Fi, LTE, etc.)
NodeContainer backhaulNodes;
backhaulNodes.Create(2); // Backhaul network nodes
// Set up core network (point-to-point links)
PointToPointHelper pointToPoint;
pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“10Gbps”));
pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“1ms”));
NetDeviceContainer coreDevices;
coreDevices.Add(pointToPoint.Install(coreNodes.Get(0), backhaulNodes.Get(0)));
coreDevices.Add(pointToPoint.Install(backhaulNodes.Get(1), coreNodes.Get(1)));
// Set up backhaul network (point-to-point links)
pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));
pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“10ms”));
NetDeviceContainer backhaulDevices;
backhaulDevices.Add(pointToPoint.Install(backhaulNodes.Get(0), backhaulNodes.Get(1)));
// Set up Wi-Fi access network
YansWifiChannelHelper wifiChannel = YansWifiChannelHelper::Default();
YansWifiPhyHelper wifiPhy = YansWifiPhyHelper::Default();
wifiPhy.SetChannel(wifiChannel.Create());
WifiHelper wifi;
wifi.SetRemoteStationManager(“ns3::AarfWifiManager”);
WifiMacHelper wifiMac;
Ssid ssid = Ssid(“ns-3-ssid”);
wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::StaWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid), “ActiveProbing”, BooleanValue(false));
NetDeviceContainer wifiDevices;
wifiDevices = wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, accessNodes.Get(0));
wifiMac.SetType(“ns3::ApWifiMac”, “Ssid”, SsidValue(ssid));
wifiDevices.Add(wifi.Install(wifiPhy, wifiMac, backhaulNodes.Get(0)));
// Set up LTE access network
Ptr<LteHelper> lteHelper = CreateObject<LteHelper>();
Ptr<PointToPointEpcHelper> epcHelper = CreateObject<PointToPointEpcHelper>();
lteHelper->SetEpcHelper(epcHelper);
Ptr<Node> pgw = epcHelper->GetPgwNode();
InternetStackHelper internet;
internet.Install(accessNodes);
internet.Install(coreNodes);
internet.Install(backhaulNodes);
NodeContainer ueNodes;
ueNodes.Add(accessNodes.Get(1));
NodeContainer enbNodes;
enbNodes.Add(backhaulNodes.Get(1));
NetDeviceContainer enbLteDevs = lteHelper->InstallEnbDevice(enbNodes);
NetDeviceContainer ueLteDevs = lteHelper->InstallUeDevice(ueNodes);
lteHelper->Attach(ueLteDevs, enbLteDevs.Get(0));
// Assign IP addresses
Ipv4AddressHelper address;
address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer coreInterfaces = address.Assign(coreDevices);
address.SetBase(“10.2.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer backhaulInterfaces = address.Assign(backhaulDevices);
address.SetBase(“10.3.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer wifiInterfaces = address.Assign(wifiDevices);
Ipv4InterfaceContainer ueIpIface;
ueIpIface = epcHelper->AssignUeIpv4Address(NetDeviceContainer(ueLteDevs));
Ptr<Node> ueNode = ueNodes.Get(0);
Ptr<Ipv4StaticRouting>ueStaticRouting = Ipv4RoutingHelper::GetRouting<Ipv4StaticRouting>(ueNode->GetObject<Ipv4>()->GetRoutingProtocol());
ueStaticRouting->SetDefaultRoute(epcHelper->GetUeDefaultGatewayAddress(), 1);
// Set up mobility
MobilityHelper mobility;
mobility.SetPositionAllocator(“ns3::GridPositionAllocator”,
“MinX”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“MinY”, DoubleValue(0.0),
“DeltaX”, DoubleValue(5.0),
“DeltaY”, DoubleValue(10.0),
“GridWidth”, UintegerValue(3),
“LayoutType”, StringValue(“RowFirst”));
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);
mobility.Install(coreNodes);
mobility.Install(backhaulNodes);
mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::RandomWalk2dMobilityModel”,
“Bounds”, RectangleValue(Rectangle(-50, 50, -50, 50)));
mobility.Install(accessNodes);
// Install applications
UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(9);
ApplicationContainer serverApps = echoServer.Install(coreNodes.Get(1));
serverApps.Start(Seconds(1.0));
serverApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));
UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(coreInterfaces.GetAddress(1), 9);
echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(10));
echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));
echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));
ApplicationContainer clientApps = echoClient.Install(accessNodes.Get(0));
clientApps.Start(Seconds(2.0));
clientApps.Stop(Seconds(10.0));
// Enable tracing
pointToPoint.EnablePcapAll(“backhaul-network”);
wifiPhy.EnablePcap(“wifi”, wifiDevices.Get(0));
lteHelper->EnableTraces();
Simulator::Run();
Simulator::Destroy();
return 0;
}
At last, we had completely get to know how to implement network backhaul in ns3, by involving the simulation of network infrastructure which connects various access networks to the core network.
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