Installation of ns-3.47 in Mac M4 (MacBook Air M4)

If you're working on network simulations and recently got your hands on a powerful MacBook Air M4, setting up ns-3 (version 3.47) is a great first step. While macOS (especially on Apple Silicon like M4) can sometimes feel tricky for open-source builds, the process is actually smooth if you follow the right steps.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through a clean and working installation of ns-3.47 on macOS running on an M4 chip.

Check the video for complete instructions: 

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🔧 Prerequisites

Before installing ns-3, make sure your system has the required developer tools and package manager.

1. Install Homebrew

Homebrew is essential for managing dependencies:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Then configure your environment:

(echo; echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"') >> /Users/pradeepkumar/.zprofile

Apply the changes:

eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

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2. Install Xcode Command Line Tools

xcode-select --install

This provides essential compilers and build tools.

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3. Install Required Dependencies

brew install cmake ninja gnuplot ccache

⚠️ Note: This step may take some time as multiple packages will be installed.

Also install wget:

brew install wget

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📥 Download and Extract ns-3.47

Download the official release:

wget https://www.nsnam.org/releases/ns-allinone-3.47.tar.bz2

Extract the archive:

tar jxvf ns-allinone-3.47.tar.bz2

Move into the ns-3 directory:

cd ns-allinone-3.47/ns-3.47

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⚙️ Configure and Build ns-3

Configure the build with examples and tests enabled:

./ns3 configure --enable-examples --enable-tests

Now build the project:

./ns3 build

⏳ This step may take several minutes depending on your system performance—but the M4 should handle it quite efficiently.

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✅ Verify Installation

Once the build completes, run the following commands to ensure everything is working correctly:

./ns3 run hello-simulator
./ns3 run first
./ns3 run second

If these execute without errors, your installation is successful 🎉

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🚀 Final Thoughts

Installing ns-3.47 on a MacBook Air M4 is straightforward when you set up the environment properly. Apple Silicon provides excellent performance, making simulations faster and smoother.

If you plan to do advanced simulations or research work, you now have a solid foundation to build on.

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🔖 Hashtags

#ns3 #NetworkSimulation #MacM4 #MacbookAirM4 #AppleSilicon #ComputerNetworks #ResearchTools #SimulationSetup #TechGuide #OpenSource #Networking #ns347 #MacSetup #EngineeringTools #AcademicResearch