Progressive directional routing protocol for directional mode ad hoc networks

A method of communicating in a mobile ad-hoc network is disclosed. It is determined whether a first directional transmission path between a transmitting node and a destination node is known to be free from obstruction. The transmitting node transmits a message to the destination node using the first directional transmission path. The message is retransmitted to the destination node using the first directional transmission path when a message receipt acknowledgement in an omnidirectional network transmission has not been received within a predetermined time. Additional transmissions via the first directional transmission path are blocked when the message receipt acknowledgement has not been received after more than a pre-set number of retransmissions. The message is transmitted to a proxy node using a second directional transmission path between the transmitting node and the proxy node, with instructions for the proxy node to directionally transmit the message to the destination node.