CECR: A Cluster-Based Energy-Efficient and Congestion-Resilient Routing Algorithm for IoT Networks

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to critical challenges in energy-efficient data transmission, network congestion, and security. This paper proposes a Cluster-Based Energy-Efficient and Congestion-Resilient (CECR) Routing Algorithm for IoT networks to optimize communication and enhance network lifetime. The proposed algorithm employs an energy-aware clustering technique, where cluster heads (CHs) are selected based on residual energy and node density to balance the load distribution. A multi-hop data transmission approach is implemented to reduce transmission overhead, while a congestion-aware routing mechanism dynamically adjusts data flow based on buffer occupancy and packet arrival rates. Furthermore, security enhancements against attacks such as sinkhole, blackhole, and Sybil are incorporated to ensure robust data transmission. The proposed algorithm is simulated in the Cooja simulator, and its performance is evaluated against existing protocols, including LEACH, EESR, and RPL. Experimental results for a 500-node IoT network demonstrate that CECR achieves a 30% reduction in energy consumption, a 15% increase in Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), and a 25% enhancement in network lifetime, while effectively mitigating congestion under high-traffic conditions. The findings highlight the algorithm’s potential for sustainable and secure IoT deployments.