The problem under investigation related to ad hoc networks (dynamic mobile wireless networks). An ad hoc network can be considered an autonomous system of routers (nodes), interconnected via wireless links, which are free to roam in an arbitrary fashion. A program that models such a network was written by Kieran Power using Opnet, and is the basis of the simulation experiments performed in this project. This program models a multicast protocol known as the Adhoc Multicast Protocol (AMP). Multicasting is an efficient technique used for the distribution of a single packet to multiple destinations.

Several other multicast routing protocols exist, including MOSPF, CBT, DVMRP and PIM sparse mode. These suffer several flaws, which AMP overcomes.

Four different parameters were investigated in these simulations. These included the throughput, hop count, delay, and overhead. Throughput is a measurement of the amount of data that can be sent over a network per unit of time. The hop count is the number of links a packet of information is required to take before it reaches its destination, while the delay is the amount of time it takes for a packet of information to travel from the starting point to its destination point. Finally, overhead is the amount of information that is required to be stored for each packet of information regarding its destination. Overhead also stores information about the neighboring points of the current position from which it is being transmitted. This information is stored cumulatively for every point that a packet travels through.