Maintain the Communications Network From Infrastructure Failure Using A Multipath Network

The reliability of communication networks has become increasingly critical in data-intensive environments, where single-path systems often fail under infrastructure disruption. To address such vulnerabilities, this study investigates multi-path data transmission techniques using RIP and OSPF routing protocols within wired and wireless networks. Although various routing protocols have been compared in prior works, comprehensive analysis on the performance of OSPF and RIP in hybrid (wired and wireless) multi-path networks under simulated real-time conditions remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Routing Information Protocol (RIP) within a simulated multipath framework to determine the most reliable and low-delay data transmission approach. Simulation through Opnet Modeler 14.5 demonstrated that the OSPF protocol consistently outperforms RIP across several key performance metrics, including delay rate (0.00030s for OSPF vs. 0.00035s for RIP), network load distribution, and end-to-end transmission delay in video conferencing applications. Unlike traditional single-path models, the proposed design integrates concurrent wired and wireless transmission, ensuring continuous data flow even during physical path disruptions. The findings confirm OSPF’s superiority in sustaining efficient, uninterrupted communication in multipath environments, suggesting its adoption in scenarios requiring high availability and minimal delay, particularly in urban or mission-critical network infrastructures.