Hierarchical IP Distribution Mechanism for VANET

Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) is characterized by high speed, unstable routing as well as no power concern, so high efficient addressing mechanism is required for vehicles to access to Internet or communicate with each other for some practical or emergent information. The existing methods of addressing for VANET usually do not cope with instant IP address assignment and recycling. This paper proposed an AP-based centralized IP distribution system using a hierarchical Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) mechanism to tackle efficient addressing and timely IP recycling for reuse, and the malfunctioning APs can be detected via hierarchical mechanism. The invalid IP addresses for parking vehicles can also be immediately recycled through the mechanism of periodical report performed by vehicle itself. The simulation results proved that it outperformed the existing addressing mechanism.