Essentials of wireless mesh networking

Are you involved in implementing wireless mesh networks? As mesh networks move towards large-scale deployment, this highly practical book provides the information and insights you need. The technology is described, potential pitfalls in implementation are identified, clear hints and tips for success are provided, and real-world implementation examples are evaluated. Moreover, an introduction to wireless sensor networks (WSN) is included. This is an invaluable resource for electrical and communications engineers, software engineers, technology and information strategists in equipment, content and service providers, and spectrum regulators. It is also a useful guide for graduate students in wireless communications, and telecommunications.

Author Notes

Steve Methley has over 20 years' experience in telecommunications and data communications innovation, having led teams in the laboratories of British Telecom, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba. Currently a consultant based in Cambridge, UK, his works includes technology, regulation, business strategy, socio-economic analyses and futurology for a range of clients from start-ups to large global corporations.

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. x
1 Mesh overview and terminology	p. 1
1.1 What is a mesh?	p. 2
1.2 The role of mesh in future networks	p. 5
1.3 How do meshes work?	p. 7
1.4 Key mesh issues and the structure of this book	p. 12
2 Attractive mesh attributes and applications	p. 15
2.1 Example applications for mesh	p. 16
2.2 The coverage attribute	p. 21
2.3 Summary	p. 26
Reference	p. 26
3 Fundamentals of mesh technology	p. 27
3.1 Overview	p. 27
3.2 Physical layer	p. 29
3.3 Medium access control	p. 36
3.4 Routing	p. 38
3.5 Transport and applications	p. 40
3.6 Summary	p. 42
4 Mesh capacity, scalability and efficiency - hypothesis testing	p. 43
4.1 Hypothesis 1 - Could customers self-generate capacity in a mesh?	p. 45
4.2 Conclusions - capacity	p. 73
4.3 Hypothesis 2 - Are meshes more efficient?	p. 75
4.4 Conclusions - omni-directional antennas	p. 86
4.5 Hypothesis 3 - Do directional antennas help a mesh?	p. 87
4.6 Conclusions - directional antennas	p. 93
4.7 Hypothesis 4 - Do meshes improve spectrum utilisation?	p. 94
4.8 Conclusions - utilisation	p. 95
4.9 Summary of hypothesis testing	p. 96
References	p. 97
5 Mesh susceptibility	p. 99
5.1 Interference types	p. 100
5.2 Susceptibility to interference - PHY and MAC	p. 102
5.3 Dedicated mesh routing and transport approaches	p. 121
5.4 Co-existence approaches	p. 129
5.5 Summary of susceptibility and co-existence issues	p. 132
References	p. 133
6 Mesh services and quality of service	p. 134
6.1 Quality of service and levels required	p. 134
6.2 Quality of service drivers	p. 137
6.3 Improving quality of service by adding network infrastructure	p. 144
6.4 Quality of service summary	p. 148
References	p. 149
7 Summary of potential mesh pitfalls to avoid	p. 151
7.1 Capacity	p. 151
7.2 Infrastructure	p. 152
7.3 Efficiency	p. 152
7.4 Relay exhaustion	p. 153
7.5 Initial roll-out	p. 153
7.6 Upgradeability	p. 154
7.7 Reliance on user behaviour	p. 154
7.8 Ad hoc versus quality of service	p. 155
7.9 Security and trust	p. 156
7.10 Business case economics	p. 157
7.11 Enduring attractions of mesh	p. 157
Reference	p. 157
8 Appropriate telecommunications applications for mesh	p. 158
8.1 User side mesh applications	p. 158
8.2 Network side or backhaul mesh applications	p. 165
8.3 Joint user and network side mesh applications	p. 166
8.4 Time scales	p. 167
Reference	p. 168
9 Successful mesh implementations	p. 169
9.1 Wireless cities	p. 169
9.2 Community Internet	p. 173
9.3 Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) applications	p. 175
9.4 Summary	p. 179
References	p. 179
10 Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) as mesh networks	p. 180
10.1 Introduction	p. 181
10.2 WSN sensors	p. 182
10.3 WSN power sources	p. 183
10.4 Wireless sensor technologies and applications	p. 184
10.5 Differentiating RFID, mesh and sensor networks	p. 186
10.6 Differentiating 802.15.x, ZigBee and 6LoWPAN	p. 189
10.7 A suggested taxonomy of WSNs: structure and equality	p. 195
10.8 System architecture in sensor networks	p. 195
10.9 Unstructured WSNs	p. 200
10.10 Structured WSNs	p. 206
10.11 External routing and transport options	p. 212
10.12 WSN summary	p. 213
References	p. 214
Abbreviations	p. 215
Selected definitions	p. 219
Appendix: Mobility models	p. 221
About the author	p. 225
Index	p. 226
Mesh hints and tips	p. 228

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Table of Contents