NS2 Installation Guide: Step-by-Step Setup on Linux

Network Simulator 2 (NS2) is a widely used tool for simulating network protocols, routing algorithms, and wireless networks. It is primarily used in research and academic projects related to networking. Installing NS2 requires some dependencies and configuration, especially on Linux-based systems like Ubuntu. In this guide, we will go through a step-by-step installation process of NS2 on a Linux system (Ubuntu) and verify the installation.

Step 1: Update the System

Before installing NS2, update the system to ensure all packages are up to date. Open a terminal and run:

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sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Install Required Dependencies

NS2 requires several dependencies, such as Tcl, Tk, Perl, and GCC. Install them using the following command:

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sudo apt install -y build-essential tcl tk tcl-dev tk-dev perl libxmu-dev xgraph

Step 3: Download NS2 Package

Download the latest stable version of NS2 (e.g., ns-2.35) from the official website or use the following command:

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wget https://www.isi.edu/nsnam/dist/ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz

Step 4: Extract the NS2 Package

Extract the downloaded tar file using:

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tar -xvzf ns-allinone-2.35.tar.gz

cd ns-allinone-2.35

Step 5: Compile and Install NS2

Run the installation script to compile NS2 and all its components:

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./install

This process may take several minutes. If there are any errors, ensure that all dependencies are installed.

Step 6: Configure Environment Variables

After installation, you need to set up environment variables to run NS2 from any directory. Open the bashrc file:

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nano ~/.bashrc

Add the following lines at the end of the file:

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export NS_HOME=$HOME/ns-allinone-2.35

export PATH=$NS_HOME/bin:$NS_HOME/tcl8.5.10/unix:$NS_HOME/tk8.5.10/unix:$PATH

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$NS_HOME/otcl-1.14:$NS_HOME/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

export TCL_LIBRARY=$NS_HOME/tcl8.5.10/library

Save the file and apply the changes:

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source ~/.bashrc

Step 7: Verify NS2 Installation

Check if NS2 is correctly installed by running:

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ns

If NS2 is installed correctly, you will see the % prompt, indicating that NS2 is ready to use.

Step 8: Run a Simple NS2 Simulation

Create a simple simulation script in a text file:

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nano simple.tcl

Paste the following Tcl script:

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# Create a simulator instance

set ns [new Simulator]

# Define network nodes

set n1 [$ns node]

set n2 [$ns node]

# Create a link between nodes

$ns duplex-link $n1 $n2 1Mb 10ms DropTail

# Define simulation end

$ns at 5.0 “finish”

proc finish {} {

    global ns

    $ns halt

}

# Run the simulation

$ns run

Save and exit. Run the script using:

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ns simple.tcl

If NS2 runs without errors, the installation is successful!

Conclusion

Installing NS2 on Linux requires a few dependencies, proper configuration, and environment variable setup. By following these step-by-step instructions, you can successfully install and test NS2 for network simulation experiments.