What is Mesh?

Mesh Networks are a cost effective way to provide blanket wireless broadband (WiFi) coverage across a community where there are limited options for broadband backhaul links to the wider internet (e.g. broadband not available or not cost effective). Each wireless mesh node or access point acts as a router for data in the network. Daconi mesh solutions use WiFi dual radio (802.11abg) WiFi equipment to create resilient, scalable and self-configuring networks. Typical applications are town or city WiFi-Zones which provide information to visitors and connectivity to the internet. Extending access to the community from a school or college can benefit from using Mesh technology.

How Mesh works

Client access in the heart of a mesh network will be using the most popular WiFi (802.11bg) radio standard which uses the 2.4GHz band. The mesh network runs on the WiFi (802.11a) radio for indoor applications and in addition 802.11h for outdoors, which uses the 5GHz band. This ensures maximum throughput to the end user, while remaining within the unlicensed ranges certified by OFCOM.

Mesh access points can be mounted on existing street furniture such as lampposts, CCTV masts, rooftops and any other point that has a source of power. As each node is added to the network, they automatically configure to communicate with nearby nodes, which in turn communicate with their neighbours to organise themselves for optimum performance. Secure AES encryption ensures that data sent over the mesh remains private. In the event that a particular link fails, the mesh network immediately creates an alternate route to the portal. When a network is deployed with multiple portals to the broadband backhaul, the self healing capability ensures a reliable service for critical applications.

Mesh networking is also complimentary to other Daconi solutions such as WIMAX (for high speed backhaul connections) and Location Tracking (for location sensitive applications).

What can Mesh Networking do for you?

• Community: Provides blanket wireless coverage across a given site or area

• Secure: Customisable end user security options for corporate or public use.

• Cost effective: Up to 16 distinct Public and Private network interfaces can share the MESH infrastructure, each segregated with its own security policy.

• Robust: Self Healing properties enable instant reconfiguration should a node fail or be removed.

• Multi-service: Route voice traffic using Skype (www.skype.com) or other VoIP application over IP network for further savings.