1. Daniela Maniezzo NRL – Network Research Lab UCLA
WLAN Mesh Networks
Daniela Maniezzo NRL – Network Research Lab UCLA

2. WLAN Mesh definitions
An WLAN Mesh uses links to interconnect a set of two or more Mesh Points (MPs) including zero or more Portals.
A WLAN Mesh supports automatic topology learning and dynamic path selection (including across multiple hops).
A WLAN Mesh can be a component of an Extended Service Set (ESS).

3. 802.11s Terminology Diagram Mesh Portal WLAN Mesh Mesh Links
L3 Router
L2 Switch
Mesh Portal
WLAN Mesh
Mesh Links
MAC/PHY
Distribution System
(DS)
ESS
STA
Mesh AP
Mesh AP
BSS

4. Applications
Personal Phone Everywhere An extension of the cell phone into the office building. This includes cordless phone over VoIP.
Multiplayer Internet gaming anywhere within the home / Internet Café / cars.
Music and Video real time on multiple receivers throughout the home from a remotely located AV-server/AP/set top box receiver.
Watch a clear replay of an event from your seat in a sporting arena.

5. Applications (cont’d)
Remotely located security cameras transmitting video signal to a monitoring location.
Net meeting in a conference/class room to share someone’s display.
Download video, music and other data files to a device in a car in the home garage or driveway.
Hospital applications (Update/view medical records from patient rooms).
Public City Mesh Network for urban annotation and data-centric applications.
Etc.

6. IEEE802.11s: Usage Models
To support the definition of ESS Mesh WLAN standard within the IEEE, the Task Group “s” defined usage models based on various marked-based use-case.
The usage models are intend to support the definition of simulations that will allow the evaluation of the proposals.

7. Usage Models: Residential
The purposes for the mesh network are to create low-cost, easily deployable, high performance wireless coverage throughout the home.
The mesh network should help to eliminate RF dead-spots and should be self-configuring.
Indor network.
High-bandwidth applications such as video distribution are likely to be used within a home network  the most demanding usage of bandwidth in the mesh network is expected to come from device-to- device communication within the home.

8. Usage Models: Office
The primary purposes for the mesh network are to create low-cost, easily deployable networks with reliable coverage throughout an office building.
Mesh Points will mostly be dedicated infrastructure devices, but some PCs may also participate as Mesh Points in the network.
STAs may be a combination of PCs, laptops, PDAs, printers, telephones etc.
Indoor Network
Mesh Network are particularly useful in areas where Ethernet cabling does not exist or is cost prohibitive to install.

9. Usage Models: Campus/Community/Public Access Net
This usage model differs from the other categories in that the number of Mesh APs that are required to deploy services is very high.
Outdoor network.
Rapidly provide connectivity to locations where wired infrastructure is not available or is cost prohibitive.
Provide a lower cost / higher bandwidth alternative to traditional internet access methods.
Enable higher reliability internet access service by providing fault tolerant infrastructure, and redundant (to traditional wired access methods) access links.
Enable location based services to be deployed in an s network.

10. Usage Models: Public Safety
Public safety mesh networks provide wireless network access to emergency and municipal safety personnel such as fire, police, and emergency workers.
The network may be used for video surveillance, tracking workers, voice and data communication, uploading images, downloading information, etc.
It may be deployed over a wide range of scales.
Mostly outdoor network.
Node mobility, dynamic variations in radio propagation, equipment/power failures, etc. make network self-configuration and self-management essential in these scenarios.

11. Usage Models: Military
This usage model is distinguished by node mobility, a heavy reliability on fully automated network management and, for disadvantaged nodes, e.g., dismounted troops, sensitivity to energy conservation.
Combat operations may occur both indoors and outdoors.
Situational awareness and voice communications are primary applications of interest to the military.

12. Functional Requirements and Scope
Mesh Topology Discovery
Automatic topology learning, including the status and quality of mesh links
Mesh Routing Protocol
MAC address-based protocol and algorithm for dynamic auto-configuration of MAC-layer data delivery paths between Mesh Points over wireless links.
Routing protocols should support unicast, broadcast and multicast
On Demand Multicast Routing Protocol (ODMRP)

13. Functional Requirements and Scope (cont’d)
Support for single and Multiple Radios (not precluding the use or a single transceiver).
Mesh Network Size: up to 32 Mesh Poins.
Mesh Security
Use an extension of i for the purpose of securing an ESS Mesh in which all the Mesh Points are controlled by a single administrative entity for security.
Amendment to MAC with no PHY changes required

14. Functional Requirements and Scope (cont’d)
Radio Aware Routing Metrics
They may include all aspects of MAC/PHY statistics.
Backwards Compatibility
No modifications to the STA’s relationship with the BSS and ESS.
Compatibility with higher layer protocols
An IEEE ESS Mesh Net shall appear to higher layers as a IEEE 802 LAN segment.
Multi-Rate ETX / CaProbe

15. Related Topics Distributed Hash Tables for smart ARP in Mesh Network
An extension of IEEE e QoS for MESH Networks
CarTorrent
Vertical Handoff

16. Call for Proposals: Schedule
Notice of intent to submit proposal (Mandatory)
By to the TGs chair by noon Eastern USA time the Friday of the March 2005 Interim meeting, currently scheduled for 18 March 2005.
Opportunities for preliminary presentation of proposal (Optional)
At the March and May meetings, currently scheduled for and Beijing, China.
Deadline for submission of documents (Mandatory)
Document(s) to be uploaded to the 802wirelessword server by noon Eastern USA time, 15 June 2005.
Presentation of proposal (Mandatory)
At the July 2005 IEEE 802 Plenary Meeting currently scheduled for July, San Francsico, California.