How Wireless Mesh Networks Work - Kunming WTelephones Group Co.,Ltd

Wireless mesh networks can easily, effectively and wirelessly connect large areas using inexpensive, existing technology. In a wireless mesh network, the network connection is spread out among dozens or even hundreds of wireless mesh nodes that "talk" to each other to share the network connection across a large area.

A traditional network router serves as a hub for the devices connected to its network. Most traditional "wireless" access points still need to be wired to the internet to broadcast their signal. For large wireless networks, ethernet cables need to be buried in ceilings and walls and throughout public areas.

In a wireless mesh network, only one node must have an internet connection. Each node added to the network shares its connection wirelessly with all other nodes in its vicinity using one of several protocols. The more nodes, the further the connection spreads, creating a wireless "cloud of connectivity" that can serve a large office or a city of millions.

If you only need to provide internet access to a small area, you aren't likely to see a big difference between a single mesh network node and a traditional wireless router. For large networks, however, mesh networks have several advantages:

Wireless mesh networks advantages include:

Using fewer wires means it costs less to set up a large network.

In this article, we'll explain how wireless mesh networks work, how they increase network access for a wide variety of industries, and how they might make our dream of a seamlessly connected world come true.

The internet is the world's largest mesh network. Information travels across the internet by being bounced automatically from one router to the next until it reaches its destination. The internet is often depicted as a "cloud" or "web" of connectivity because of the billions of potential paths across which data can travel.

The graphic below shows how a wireless mesh network functions when sharing an internet connection across a local area network (LAN). As you see, only one node in the wireless mesh network needs to be directly wired to the internet. That wired node shares the internet connection wirelessly with the nearest cluster of nodes, which then share it with their nearest cluster of nodes and so on.

That means that each individual node only needs a power supply such as traditional AC plugs, batteries or solar panels if outdoors. Outdoor nodes are encased in weatherproof, protective shields and can be mounted anywhere including telephone poles, roofs, etc.

Wireless mesh networks are effective in sharing internet connectivity because the more nodes that are installed, the farther the signal can travel. And the more nodes you have, the stronger and faster the internet connection becomes for the user.

How does the internet connection become stronger and faster?

Now let's look at some real and potential applications of wireless mesh networks.

Even in a wireless mesh LAN, there comes a time when information needs to return to an access point to reach the wider internet. Getting that information back to the access point is called backhaul. Small wireless mesh networks handle backhaul without needing special configurations. In larger mesh networks, like those for cities or large companies, certain nodes need to be dedicated as backhaul nodes. The other nodes send all outgoing information straight to one of the backhaul nodes, which will send it to the wired access point without unnecessary hops.

Cities and municipalities: With wireless mesh networks, cities can connect citizens and public services over a widespread high-speed wireless connection.

A growing number of downtown areas are installing public WiFi hotspots. Mesh networks allow cities to inexpensively and simply link all those hotspots together to cover the entire municipality. Municipal networks aren't always created and maintained by the cities or communities themselves. Some are ad-hoc networks created by local residents. Others launch with funding from nonprofit or government projects. The U.S. State Department has funded mesh networks in some foreign locations to offer dissidents a way to communicate without their own government's surveillance.

Some advantages of open municipal mesh WiFi networks:

MuniNetworks.org, a project of the nonprofit Institute for Local Self-Reliance, maintains a map showing hundreds of communities in the United States with municipal networks, many of which use mesh networking to distribute broadband access. Municipal mesh networks are not just available in the U.S. They're becoming popular around the world in places such as Berlin, Singapore, Buenos Aires and Melbourne.

Mesh networks are even coming to neighborhoods through corporate channels. Retail giant Amazon is using its Ring branded smart home devices to create mesh networks between nearby houses. Announced in 2019, Amazon Sidewalk became active in summer 2021. Amazon's stated intent for the service is to support customers' smart home devices, and unlike municipal WiFi networks, Amazon Sidewalk's mesh network uses the 900 MHz spectrum to communicate.

Not all municipal wireless networks use mesh technology, however. Some use a technology called WiMAX, which has the ability to broadcast signals over large distances using powerful microwave transmissions. Other municipal networks use a combination of mesh, WiMAX and others.

Developing countries: Wireless mesh networks are useful in countries without a widespread wired infrastructure, such as telephone service or even electricity. Solar-powered nodes can be connected to one cellular or satellite internet connection, which could keep a whole village online.

Isolated locations, rugged terrain: Even in developed countries, there are rugged locations too far off the grid for traditional high-speed internet service providers. Wireless mesh networks are being considered for these areas. A series of nodes would be mounted from the nearest available wired access point out to the hard-to-reach area.

Education: Many colleges, universities and high schools are converting their entire campuses to wireless mesh networks. This solution eliminates the need to bury cables in old buildings and across campuses. With dozens of well-placed indoor and outdoor nodes, everyone will be connected all the time.

Mesh networks also have the capacity to handle the high-bandwidth needs required by students who need to download large files.

Schools can also rig their entire public safety systems up to their network, monitoring security cameras and keeping all personnel in constant communication in emergency situations.

Health care: Many hospitals are spread out through clusters of densely constructed buildings that were not built with computer networks in mind. Wireless mesh nodes can sneak around corners and send signals short distances through thick glass and other materials to ensure access in every operating room, lab and office.

The ability to connect to the network is crucial as more doctors and caregivers maintain and update patient information -- test results, medical history, even insurance information -- on portable electronic devices carried from room to room.

Hospitality: High-speed internet connectivity at hotels and resorts has become the rule, not the exception. Wireless mesh networks are quick and easy to set up indoors and outdoors without having to remodel existing structures or disrupt business.

Temporary venues: Construction sites can capitalize on the easy set-up and removal of wireless mesh networks. Architects and engineers can stay wired to the office, and ethernet-powered surveillance cameras can decrease theft and vandalism. Mesh nodes can be moved around and supplemented as the construction project progresses.

Wireless mesh networks can be set up and torn down quickly in other temporary venues like street fairs, outdoor concerts and political rallies. And in Hong Kong, protesters have been using peer-to-peer mesh networks created by smartphone apps to avoid surveillance and to get around internet shutdowns.

Warehouses: There is simply no effective way to keep track of stock and shipping logistics without the handheld scanners used in modern warehouses. Wireless mesh networks ensure connectivity throughout a huge warehouse structure with little effort.

Future applications: The U.S. military, which helped develop wireless mesh technology, foresees a day when thousands of microchip-size mesh nodes can be dropped onto a battlefield to set up instant scouting and surveillance networks. Information can be routed to both ground troops and headquartered personnel.

Carmakers and telecom companies are working to develop intelligent transport systems (ITS) using technologies including street and highway-based wireless mesh networks. Using an automated network of surveillance cameras and in-car sensors, public safety officials can tightly monitor traffic accidents and dangerous road conditions.

As they have become more common, wireless mesh networks have become valuable for powering internet of things (IoT) devices with applications of all kinds, including security, smart agriculture, manufacturing, public utilities and environmental monitoring equipment. Newer technologies, such as Bluetooth wireless mesh networks, also support large IoT networks. The future applications for wireless mesh networks are limited only by our imaginations.

Originally Published: Jun 20, 2007

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