Mesh Networks
Mesh Networks, also known as Adhoc Networks or Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANETS), or Peer to Peer Networks, are networks where each node sends its own information and resends the information of other network nodes. In the mesh network model, each node acts as client and router.
Meshlium is the mesh node developed by Libelium.
Characteristics:
Reability
The network topology is not fixed and adapts rather to the conditions of the nodes through a dynamic process. This means that each machine has several possible routes to reach a destination, and switches between them if anything fails.
Self configuration
Each node is capable of finding sibling nodes (and of making them find it), so that it can start to communicate without requiring any prior configuration.
Self healing
If a route is invalidated by the crash of one node, the other nodes search for alternative routes so that information can continue to reach its destination.
Scalability
A new node is always welcome since it will not overload the system. Every new machine in the network is a new resource for the rest to use in order to create new routes and persistent network topologies.
Easy to Install
The fact that data output to other networks such as Internet is shared by several points means that each node only needs sufficient power to function and provide the service. For certain applications, solar power or a battery supply can be used, to help us create a mesh network in a forest, or on a mountainside.
These networks are used for the type of communication between points that are not in sight, in other words Non-Line-of-Sight - NLoS. As we can see from the picture, the solution is to create a path of intermediary nodes between which there is a Line-of-Sight - LoS. This way the signal can be transmitted from the start to end node through the intermediary nodes.
Every Meshlium node is capable of building 2 mesh networks simultaneously. These networks can operate on different frequencies (2.4GHz and 5GHz) or share the same frequency.