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The wireless mesh

Mesh networks can revolutionise urban usage of wireless technology by bringing together disparate technologies such as GSM and WLAN, reports Faiz Askari

Today, the demand for wireless access outside the corporate office is satisfied by an unwieldy patchwork of technologies—GPRS, CDMA and Wi-Fi hotspots. There's no easy way to access your corporate network or even the Internet on the move. That's where the concept of a wireless mesh makes sense by supporting today's technologies and providing a foundation for seamless wireless access outside the cocoon of the office.

This type of Internet infrastructure is decentralised, relatively inexpensive, and very reliable and resilient as each node needs to only transmit as far as the next node. Nodes act as repeaters to transmit data from nearby nodes to peers that are too far away to reach, resulting in a network that can span large distances, especially over rough or difficult terrain. Mesh networks are also reliable as each node is connected to several other nodes. If one node drops out of the network due to hardware failure or any other reason, its neighbours simply find another route. Extra capacity can be installed by simply adding more nodes. Mesh networks may involve either fixed or mobile devices. The solutions are as diverse as communications in difficult environments such as emergency situations, tunnels, oil rigs, battlefields and high-speed mobile video applications on board public transport.

Evolution of the mesh

Rajan Mehta, Vice-president, Nortel Networks, highlights the need for this technology and how it evolved. “In the past, municipalities and public service agencies have faced a number of obstacles when attempting to integrate high-speed and/or wireless services. Many have found that the traditional fixed-line broadband service is difficult and expensive to deploy, especially in larger communities or areas in which services are highly dispersed.”

According to him, attempts to use Wi-Fi hotspots to provide citywide or regional coverage have been hampered by the need for wired network backhaul for each Wi-Fi hotspot. Also, cellular networks have been prohibitively expensive and lack the bandwidth capacity to adequately support hundreds of users.

In order to attract customers in the government and public service sectors, wireline service providers must find a way to overcome these barriers without increasing their own management and operating expenses. Mesh networking technology provides a powerful solution that lets them offer high-performance wireless broadband coverage in a city or region at a price their customers can afford.

Shrikant Shitole, Business Development Manager, Service Providers, Cisco Systems India and SAARC, explains the technology. “A wireless mesh network is a local area network that employs one of two connection arrangements—full-mesh topology or partial-mesh topology—to cover entire cities or towns. A wireless mesh networking solution enables cost-effective, secure deployment of enterprise campus to metropolitan-scale outdoor Wi-Fi networks that complement existing wireless technologies such as GSM and WLAN.”

Mesh networking technology lets providers augment their wired back-haul infrastructure to provide wireless broadband services with very high security, reliability and scalability. It relies on the mature 802.11 standard for wireless networking, and is thus a highly stable technology, unlike other emerging transport methods that are unproven and do not utilise the ubiquitous installed base of 802.11 clients. In addition, mesh networks feature self-healing and dynamic route optimisation capabilities, making them simple and cost-effective to deploy and manage. Using mesh networks, service providers can keep their operating costs down while passing on savings to customers.

The mesh in India

Foreseeing huge potential in India, Cisco’s Shitole says, “Wireless mesh networks can be used as the last-mile access technology for delivering broadband applications such as education, tele-medicine and even e-governance. Even in the metros and major cities, wireless mesh clusters can be created in the business districts where there is high data consumption to deliver high-speed data access to enterprises and consumers.”

Adds Mehta of Nortel, “Growth is taking place because the technology is extremely simple to deploy, and it can easily solve transmission problems. Transmission is a major issue in India, but with a wireless mesh network it can be sorted out.” He predicts that in the next two years at least a few dozen large wireless mesh networks will be implemented. “I consider the education sector a likely adopter. Manufacturing also holds huge potential. Then of course, the Government is coming into the picture in a big way. With a lot of special economic zones and export zones being created, I foresee good growth for this technology.”

Shitole is in agreement. “Enterprises, hospitals, educational institutions and hospitality companies are the first movers in this space. Wireless mesh networking will allow them to expand Internet access beyond hotspots, enabling employees, staff, students and guests to move freely through campuses and complexes while always staying connected.”