In wireless networks, as in many areas of engineering, simulation has been the de facto standard for testing, dimensioning and analyzing mobile protocols. Emulation, which presents a lower cost, more accurate, yet more complex engineering alternative to simulation, has not been widely used in mobile computing studies. RAMON is a software/hardware emulator tailored to mimic the realistic characteristics of wireless networks. RAMON is especially designed to study how mobile protocols cope with high vehicular speeds. The main advantage of RAMON is the rapid, cost-effective and accurate testing it provides. This ranges from proper identification of protocol bottlenecks, to testing of newly available wireless networks and hardware and software devices. © 2002 IEEE.