From hotspots to blankets [wireless mesh networking]

Abstract

Wireless mesh networking has a significant role to play in the future of the wireless revolution. The wireless revolution that started with the first broadcasts, continued with cellular telephony, exploded with WiFi and is now ready to invade every aspect of human life. In this paper, the author examines the prospects for wireless mesh networking. The article details the network infrastructure, wireless cities, and the single, dual, or multi-radio configuration. The prospects of both WiMAX and wireless mesh equipment coexisting in the same place, at the same time, and to perform more or less the same function might have been ludicrous only five years ago, but then again, no one can really accuse the wireless industry of lacking ideas when it comes to getting to that elusive last mile.