A Mesh Network is a
loosely coupled network. To put it simply, each Node on the
Network interconnects as and when it can to neighbouring Nodes.
This means that if a Node goes down, the Network automatically heals
itself by routing traffic around the damaged area.
Once enough Nodes are
connected together, each User of the Network should be able to get
uninterrupted usage as long as they have can connect to at least 2
Nodes nearby.

-
The Mesh is formed
along the Network Connections heavy dashed lines.
-
User2 and User3
can connect to 2 Nodes.
-
User1, User5 and
User4 can only use 1 Node.
-
Rep1 is a Repeater
- it has no Internet connection, but can gain access to the Internet
by using Node3 or Node4.
-
If the Internet
connection fails on a Node, the Node reroutes traffic to the nearest
other Node which still has a working Internet connection.
-
The maximum practical
limit for 1 Node is 20 Users.
The
radio signals used by the Network are situated on the 2.4Ghz band
- radio signals using Microwaves such as these are very very low power
(about 100 Milli-Watts) and therefore are restricted to line-of-sight
connections. Trees, and other water based objects absorb Microwaves,
and effectively block signals - A Chainsaw is therefore an essential
piece of Wireless Networking Equipment!
They
will penetrate walls close to the transmitter, but for best results,
an external antenna is required to provide a stable, reliable signal.
Some
Wireless network groups have run tests to see how far they could send
and receive signals - One group in Brighton managed 14.3km!
The
more Nodes we can place in the Network, the more reliable, and fault-tolerant
it becomes. If you want to host a Node or Repeater (it pays
for itself, and your Internet Connection!) please contact Ian Salmon
on 07973 865850.
For
further Technical details please visit our FAQ
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