Abstract: Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) are infrastructure less networks in which the nodes are in constant motion. Unlike wired networks, the shortest route between the source and the destination may not be the best. Associativity-Based Routing protocol (ABR) makes use of the most stable route to communicate. However, constant emission of beacons by the nodes involved results in high energy dissipation. This study proposes a method in which cluster-based approach is incorporated in ABR to make it more energy efficient. The results are simulated using NS-2 and a comparison drawn between the two. Thereafter, the behaviour of both the methods is implemented on Xilinx Virtex 5 FPGA and power analyzed using Xilinx Xpower analyzer.