This paper proposes an efficient anonymous routing protocol for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). This protocol considers symmetric and asymmetric links during the wireless communication of MANETs. A MANET is one type of self-organized wireless network that can be formed by several wireless devices such as laptops, tablet PCs, and smartphones. Different wireless transmission ranges of different mobile devices lead to a special communication condition called an asymmetric link. Most research on this topic focuses on providing security and anonymity for the symmetric link without considering the asymmetric link. This paper proposes a novel distributed routing protocol beyond the symmetric and asymmetric links. This protocol guarantees the security, anonymity, and high reliability of an established route by avoiding unreliable intermediate nodes. The routes generated by the proposed protocol are shorter than previous research. The proposed protocol enhances MANET performance in assuring security and anonymity.
