A shared mesh is a wireless mesh network that uses a single radio to communicate via mesh backhaul links to all the neighboring nodes in the mesh. This is a first generation

History of wireless mesh networking

The core advantage of wireless mesh networks is their inherent ability to form a network on power up. Watch what happens in Fig 1, when the mesh nodes power up . The nodes hear each other's broadcast and form a network. Also watch what happens when a node fails and how the nodes discover an...

 mesh where the total available bandwidth of the radio channel is ‘shared’ between all the neighboring nodes in the mesh. The capacity of the channel is further consumed by traffic being forwarded from one node to the next in the mesh – reducing the end to end traffic that can be passed. Because bandwidth is shared amongst all nodes in the mesh, and because every link in the mesh uses additional capacity, this type of network offers much lower end to end transmission rates than a switched mesh

Switched mesh

A switched mesh is a wireless mesh network that uses multiple radios to communicate via dedicated mesh backhaul links to each neighboring node in the mesh. Here all of the available bandwidth of each separate radio channel is dedicated to the link to the neighboring node. The total available...

 and degrades in capacity as nodes are added to the mesh.

Wireless mesh nodes typically include both mesh backhaul links and client access. A dual radio shared mesh node uses separate access and mesh backhaul radios. Only the mesh backhaul radio is shared. In a single radio mesh node, access and mesh backhaul are collapsed onto a single radio. Now the available bandwidth is shared between both the mesh links and client access, further reducing the end to end traffic available.

See also

• Generations of mesh networks
  History of wireless mesh networking
  The core advantage of wireless mesh networks is their inherent ability to form a network on power up. Watch what happens in Fig 1, when the mesh nodes power up . The nodes hear each other's broadcast and form a network. Also watch what happens when a node fails and how the nodes discover an...
  
  
• IEEE 802.11
  IEEE 802.11
  IEEE 802.11 is a set of standards for implementing wireless local area network computer communication in the 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands. They are created and maintained by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee . The base version of the standard IEEE 802.11-2007 has had subsequent...
  
  
• Mesh networking
  Mesh networking
  Mesh networking is a type of networking where each node must not only capture and disseminate its own data, but also serve as a relay for other nodes, that is, it must collaborate to propagate the data in the network....
  
  
• Switched mesh
  Switched mesh
  A switched mesh is a wireless mesh network that uses multiple radios to communicate via dedicated mesh backhaul links to each neighboring node in the mesh. Here all of the available bandwidth of each separate radio channel is dedicated to the link to the neighboring node. The total available...
  
  
• Wi-Fi
  Wi-Fi
  Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
  
  
• Wireless LAN
  Wireless LAN
  A wireless local area network links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method , and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network...
  
  
• 802.16

External links

• White Paper: Capacity of Wireless Mesh Networks Understanding single radio, dual radio and multi radio wireless mesh networks.
• What is Third Generation Mesh? Review of three generation of mesh networking architectures.
• Ugly Truths About Mesh Networks Performance issues of First and Second Generation Mesh products.