An ad hoc routing protocol is a convention, or standard, that controls how nodes decide which way to route packets between computing devices in a mobile ad hoc network.
The main disadvantages of such algorithms are: Examples of proactive algorithms are: This type of protocol finds a route on demand by flooding the network with Route Request packets.
The main disadvantages of such algorithms are: Examples of hybrid algorithms are: With this type of protocol the choice of proactive and of reactive routing depends on the hierarchic level in which a node resides.
The routing is initially established with some proactively prospected routes and then serves the demand from additionally activated nodes through reactive flooding on the lower levels.
The choice for one or the other method requires proper attributation for respective levels.