Steps to Develop an Multi protocol Label Switching Project in NS3

To develop the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) used in NS3. Here’s a general guide on how to simulate MPLS-like behavior using NS3:

What is MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching)?

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is high-performance of routing method used in high-speed of networks to sending the packets terms on labels in place of IP addresses.

Key Features of MPLS in NS3:

Faster packet sending (decrease the routing table lookups).
Traffic engineering (effective the load balancing and QoS).
We encourage for several network protocols (IPv4, IPv6, ATM, and Ethernet).
Path redundancy (automatic failover in case of connection failure).

Steps to Develop an MPLS Project in NS3

Install NS3 and Required Modules

We enable the NS3 is installed:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install -y git build-essential python3 cmake

git clone

cd ns-3

./ns3 configure –enable-examples –enable-tests

./ns3 build

Necessary for NS3 Modules:

Internet Module → MPLS over IPv4/IPv6.
Point-to-Point Module → Replicate a MPLS routers.
Routing Module → Label-based on transmitting.
Traffic Control Module → QoS-based in MPLS path selection.

Create an MPLS Network Topology

An MPLS network consists of:

Ingress Router (Label Edge Router – LER)
Core Routers (Label Switching Routers – LSR)
Egress Router (LER)
End-user devices (Hosts/Clients)

Example: Simulating an MPLS Network with 5 Nodes

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

using namespace ns3;

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

NodeContainer routers, hosts;

routers.Create(3); // MPLS Routers (LSR + LER)

hosts.Create(2); // End Hosts (Client + Server)

PointToPointHelper p2p;

p2p.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));

p2p.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“2ms”));

NetDeviceContainer devices1 = p2p.Install(hosts.Get(0), routers.Get(0)); // Host to Ingress LER

NetDeviceContainer devices2 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(0), routers.Get(1)); // LER to LSR

NetDeviceContainer devices3 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(1), routers.Get(2)); // LSR to LSR

NetDeviceContainer devices4 = p2p.Install(routers.Get(2), hosts.Get(1)); // Egress LER to Host

InternetStackHelper internet;

internet.Install(routers);

internet.Install(hosts);

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

address.Assign(devices1);

address.SetBase(“10.1.2.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

address.Assign(devices2);

address.SetBase(“10.1.3.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

address.Assign(devices3);

address.SetBase(“10.1.4.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

address.Assign(devices4);

Simulator::Stop(Seconds(10));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

✅ This setup:

3 MPLS Routers (Ingress, Core, Egress).
2 End hosts for packet communication.
1 Gbps network speed by 2ms latency.

Implement MPLS Label Switching

Example: Defining MPLS Label Forwarding

#include “ns3/mpls-module.h”

Ptr<MplsRouter> ingressRouter = CreateObject<MplsRouter>();

ingressRouter->SetLabel(100);

ingressRouter->AddForwardingEntry(100, Ipv4Address(“10.1.3.2”), 200);

Ptr<MplsRouter> coreRouter = CreateObject<MplsRouter>();

coreRouter->AddForwardingEntry(200, Ipv4Address(“10.1.4.2”), 300);

Ptr<MplsRouter> egressRouter = CreateObject<MplsRouter>();

egressRouter->PopLabel(300);

✅ This implements:

Label Assignment on Ingress Router.
Label Swapping by Core Routers.
Label Removal to Egress Router.

Implementing MPLS Traffic Engineering

We enable for QoS-based routing, we setting a Congestion Control for MPLS.

Example: QoS-based MPLS Path Selection

#include “ns3/traffic-control-helper.h”TrafficControlHelper tc;

tc.SetRootQueueDisc(“ns3::PfifoFastQueueDisc”); // Prioritized MPLS queueing

tc.Install(devices2);

tc.Install(devices3);

✅ This is give precedence to:

Low-latency in MPLS paths for real-time applications.
Effective for bandwidth allocation.

Simulating High-Speed Traffic Over MPLS

For validate the MPLS label switching, we create UDP congestion.

Example: Sending UDP Traffic Over MPLS

#include “ns3/udp-client-server-helper.h”

uint16_t port = 9000;

UdpServerHelper server(port);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = server.Install(hosts.Get(1));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

UdpClientHelper client(Ipv4Address(“10.1.4.2”), port);

client.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(100));

client.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(0.01))); // High-speed interval

client.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer clientApp = client.Install(hosts.Get(0));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

✅ This simulates:

The high-speed of UDP client-server communication over MPLS.

Performance Evaluation (Throughput, Delay, Packet Loss)

We use Flow Monitor for calculate the MPLS effectiveness.

Example: Monitoring MPLS Network Performance

#include “ns3/flow-monitor-helper.h”

Ptr<FlowMonitor> monitor;

FlowMonitorHelper flowHelper;

monitor = flowHelper.InstallAll();

Simulator::Run();

monitor->SerializeToXmlFile(“mpls-flow.xml”, true, true);

Simulator::Destroy();

✅ Outputs: mpls-flow.xml for packet delivery, delay, and loss analysis.

Improved the MPLS Research Topics

AI-Based MPLS Routing Optimization → Machine learning for congestion engineering.
2. MPLS over 5G Networks → incorporate a MPLS by next-gen wireless methods.
3. MPLS Security & Attack Prevention → Identify the label spoofing and DoS attacks.
4. MPLS QoS for Cloud Computing → Enhance for MPLS routing the cloud data centers.
5. Hybrid MPLS & SDN Networks → Add the MPLS by SDN controllers.

From the demonstration we clearly learned the novel concepts that were sophisticated to simulate the Multiprotocol Label Switching in ns3 that outperforms the better results to manage the network packet transmission. For explain on other queries a separate manual will be prepared.