EMANE
EMANE is a free, open-source framework for emulating wireless network architectures on Linux.
What EMANE is
EMANE is a free, open-source framework for emulating wireless network architectures on Linux. It models wireless behavior at the physical layer, including signal propagation, antenna effects, and interference. Included radio models are RF Pipe, IEEE 802.11abg, TDMA, and Bent Pipe, along with the Comm Effect utility model. Raw Transport and Virtual Transport boundaries support emulation of IP and non-IP wireless systems. EMANE uses XML configuration for platforms, NEMs, radio models, boundaries, and radio error-rate or packet-completion curves. Scenario events cover antenna profiles, locations, pathloss, and fading selection; users can create custom event-generating applications with the Python emane.events module. Radio-model plugins can also be combined with software-defined-radio components for shared-code experimentation. The guide is intended for wireless communications research and development, assumes basic wireless concepts and Linux command-line familiarity, and recommends one NEM per emulator instance for performance. C++, Python, and Google Protocol Buffers experience can help with development but is not required to use EMANE.
Good
- Free and open-source under a BSD 3-clause license.
- Includes four radio models and a utility model.
- Supports IP and non-IP wireless-system emulation.
- Custom events can use the Python emane.events module.
- Supports software-defined-radio component experimentation.
Watch out
- Runs as a Linux user-space application.
- The guide assumes Linux command-line familiarity.
- Performance guidance recommends one NEM per emulator instance.
Who it suits
EMANE suits people working on wireless-communications research and development who are familiar with basic wireless concepts and the Linux command line. It may also suit teams combining radio-model plugins with software-defined-radio components.
Verdict
EMANE provides configurable physical-layer wireless emulation for Linux-based research and development. Its documentation expects basic wireless and command-line knowledge, and advises limiting each emulator instance to one NEM for performance.
Plans and prices
From EMANE's own pricing page, checked 3 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| EMANE | Free | Open-source distributed wireless network emulation framework |
The facts
Each one read from EMANE's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Configuration
- The emulator processes XML configuration files for platform, NEM, radio model, boundary, and radio error-rate or packet-completion curves.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Emulation
- Its physical-layer model accounts for signal propagation, antenna profile effects, and interference sources.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Help and support
- Adjacent Link's GitHub organization provides project Issues and Pull Requests for reporting application-specific bugs or questions.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The guide is for people using EMANE in wireless-communication-systems research and development and assumes familiarity with basic wireless concepts and the Linux command line.checked 3 Oct 2026
- License
- The guide says accompanying source code is released under the BSD 3-clause license; the guide itself is under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 unless otherwise noted.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Network boundaries
- The distribution includes Raw Transport and Virtual Transport boundaries, and supports IP and non-IP wireless-system emulation.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Programming
- C++, Python, and Google Protocol Buffers experience can help with developing radio models or tools, but the guide says they are not prerequisites for using EMANE.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- EMANE is an open-source distributed emulation framework for designing, developing, and testing simple and complex network architectures.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Radio models
- The open-source distribution includes RF Pipe, IEEE 802.11abg, TDMA, and Bent Pipe radio models, plus the Comm Effect utility model.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Scaling guidance
- The guide advises using one NEM per emulator instance for performance reasons.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Scenario events
- Its physical layer uses antenna profile, location, pathloss, and fading-selection events, and users can create custom event-generating applications with the Python emane.events module.checked 3 Oct 2026
- SDR integration
- EMANE radio-model plugins can be combined with existing software-defined-radio components for shared-code experimentation.checked 3 Oct 2026
The company
- Headquarters
- Bridgewater, New Jersey, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
- Maker
- Adjacent Link describes itself as a privately owned engineering company focused on developing and testing mission-critical mobile wireless systems.checked 3 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Linux application
- EMANE runs as a Linux user-space application and uses radio-model plugins with a physical-layer model to emulate a waveform's lowest layer.checked 3 Oct 2026
Alternatives to EMANE
- 1
Containerlab
Free planOpen sourceWebAPIExtensionLinux7.6Free plan - 2
Avidemux
Free planOpen sourceWebLinuxmacOSWindows7.3Free plan - 3
Marionnet
Free planOpen sourceLinuxmacOSSelf-hostedWindows7.2Free plan - 4
EVE-NG
Free planWebLinuxmacOSSelf-hosted7.0Free plan - 5
Mininet
Free planAPILinuxmacOSSelf-hosted6.6Free plan - 6
NetSim
Free planWeb6.6From $15 a month