Review: Hosts Address Auto Configuration for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks.

This article propose a method for MANET nodes to assign a unique IP address.
Their approach is based on defining a MANET ID and a HOST ID from a private IP address block, (172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255) for exemple.
The MANET ID is a randomly 8 bits number while the HOST ID is a 16 bits number. the IP address will have the following form 172.MANET_ID.HOST_ID.

A Node creates the first network if no answers are received from hosts in an Ad Hoc network. it has a node number "0". it selects a randomly MANET ID between [0x16 and 0x32] and takes the first address in the host ID space [0x00.0x00]. The node "0" can allocate the addresses using the following equation:
Sum(i=0,i=Base_Value-1, n*Base_value+1).
Where base value= 2,3, ...
Host number n=0,1,2 ..
i = 0,1,2 ..(Base value-1)

The new node willl be add the generated value to the node "0" IP address. It will obtain a unique IP address in the Network.
The higher the value, the wider the tree and the higher the number of leaves with free addresses to allocate.
With base value=2, node 0 allocates values 0 and 1. Node 4 allocates values 8 and 9....
When a host joins a network, it broadcasts asking for a unique IP address. Nodes with available addresses will answer it. The new host should gives priority to the address allocating host with the lowest address.
This approach defines also use cases to reallocate addresses of hosts departing the network. ex when node 8 leaves, node 4 can reassign only value 8.
When network partition occurs nodes should free allocated addresses of non reachable hosts. The non reachable hosts are identified when routing packets and route discovery.
As for the network merging they propose to use the highest MANET ID between the 2 networks. The addresses with the lowest MANET ID will be reassigned.

Even though this approach seems interesting however when reallocating addresses there is high traffic of information to parent nodes to restrict the generation of certain IDs. It can be done when the Base value is low but when it increases, the restrictions exchange will be harder to maintain.
As for the merging, I think it would be more convenient to use the MANET ID of the network with the highest number of nodes. This approach will reassign new addresses to fewer nodes.
The solution don't provide a solution when 2 networks with same randdom selected MANET ID merges.

link to the article