  Clustering of mobile ad hoc networks is a largely growing field. The
perceived benefits of clustering are comprehensively analyzed in open
literature. This paper considers the development of a new
connected-dominated-set clustering algorithm called Ring Clustering Algorithm
(RCA). RCA is a heuristic algorithm that groups mobile nodes in a network into
rings. Each ring consists of three ring-nodes. The priority of a ring is
determined according to a new parameter, the ring degree. This paper presents
the proof that the maximum number of rings that can be formed by RCA in any
disk area equals the maximum number of independent nodes that create
non-overlapping circles in a corresponding area. Moreover, RCA has achieved a
fixed approximation ratio, which is 5.146 and O(n) for both time and message
complexities. Thus, RCA algorithm outperforms the current-best CDS algorithms
that are investigated in this paper.
