Challenges in Second-Generation Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless mesh networks have the potential to provide ubiquitous high-speed Internet access at low costs. The good news is that initial deployments of WiFi meshes show the feasibility of providing ubiquitous Internet connectivity. However, their performance is far below the necessary and achievable limit. Moreover, users' subscription in the existing meshes is dismal even though the technical challenges to get connectivity are low. This paper provides an overview of the current status of mesh networks' deployment, and highlights the technical, economical, and social challenges that need to be addressed in the next years. As a proof-of-principle study, we discuss the above-mentioned challenges with reference to three real networks: (i) MagNets, an operator-driven planned two-tier mesh network; (ii) Berlin Freifunk network as a pure community-driven single-tier network; (iii) Weimar Freifunk network, also a community-driven but two-tier network.

[1]  Antonio Pescapè,et al.  High-speed wireless backbones: measurements from MagNets , 2007, 2007 Fourth International Conference on Broadband Communications, Networks and Systems (BROADNETS '07).

[2]  Haiyun Luo,et al.  The impact of multihop wireless channel on TCP throughput and loss , 2003, IEEE INFOCOM 2003. Twenty-second Annual Joint Conference of the IEEE Computer and Communications Societies (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37428).

[3]  Roger P. Karrer,et al.  Ubiquitous TV Delivery to the Masses , 2007 .

[4]  Songwu Lu,et al.  Securing a Wireless World , 2006, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[5]  Antonio Pescapè,et al.  MagNets - experiences from deploying a joint research-operational next-generation wireless access network testbed , 2007, 2007 3rd International Conference on Testbeds and Research Infrastructure for the Development of Networks and Communities.

[6]  Ian F. Akyildiz,et al.  Wireless mesh networks: a survey , 2005, Comput. Networks.

[7]  Antonio Pescapè,et al.  Experimental evaluation and characterization of the magnets wireless backbone , 2006, WINTECH.

[8]  Edward W. Knightly,et al.  End-to-end performance and fairness in multihop wireless backhaul networks , 2004, MobiCom '04.

[9]  Roger Karrer,et al.  Enabling large-scale wireless broadband , 2004, Comput. Commun. Rev..

[10]  Edward W. Knightly,et al.  Measurement driven deployment of a two-tier urban mesh access network , 2006, MobiSys '06.