A Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) functions as a self-organizing infrastructure-less network. In this network, each node moves independently in any direction but depends on one another to forward its messages to target nodes. Most routing protocols for MANETs are developed with the assumption that not less than one path exists between the source and the target node. Furthermore, it is assumed that all nodes are involved in packet forwarding process. But this assumption does not hold good for all real-time situations because of high mobility and less density of the nodes present in the network and short coverage range of every node. Possibilities arise in the network so that a node could not forward the data to any of the nodes and so it necessitates packets to be stored up in the nodes buffer until it encounters an appropriate node. For deciding the apt receiver node, status of the network and contact statistics of the nodes are required in order to boost up the packet delivery ratio and to trim down the delivery delay and the total number of transmissions. We proposed Encounter-Buffer-Misbehaving (E-B-M) method which takes the best forwarding decision based on the past encounter history and behavior of the nodes.

Making a network that functions without any infrastructure, central administration and routers is achieved through ad hoc mode of communication. Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANET) comprise a set of mobile nodes that independently move in any direction, organize by itself, leave or connect with the network when required. Multihop radio relaying, decentralized nature, low node density, less memory, less power, light weight mobile devices and dynamic network configuration are the features of MANETs which make it different from other wired and wireless networks. Thus routing in MANETs happens to be one of the most challenging tasks. Most of the existing routing protocols for MANETs are developed with the assumptions that there exists at least one path between the source node and the destination node at all times throughout the packet forwarding process. Even if any situation arises in the network that the nodes are misbehaving, switched off or moved out of the path, alternative paths can be selected in order to precede the communication without any hindrance. Routing protocols are developed with route repair and route maintenance mechanisms. But all such protocols are designed only with the assumption that all the nodes in the network are cooperative and at least one node is present at all the time in the transmission range of the other. But these assumptions do not work well for some of the real-life environments and such type of network is said to be intermittently connected MANET (ICMAN). Routing of packets in intermittently connected network (Li and Rus, 2000; Jain et al., 2004; Jones et al., 2005; Zhang, 2007; and Erramilli, 2008) is based on storecarry- and-forward model. Suppose, if a node that is not connected to other nodes has a message copy to forward, it stores and carries the message in its buffer until there arises an appropriate communication opportunity. Many examples are given for such networks in real life, including ecology monitoring, search and rescue operations, vehicular ad hoc network, military networks, etc.

The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 explains the literature review. Section 3 describes the node selection strategy along with the model calculations. Section 4 explains the results obtained and the parameters used for the simulation. Finally, the paper ends with conclusion.

Information Technology Journal, Intermittently connected, Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET), Data delivery certainty, Ageing, Transitivity, Buffer occupancy, Misbehaving nodes.