IEEE 802.11s

The main deal with 802.11s is that they will be integrating routing at the MAC layer to increase routing efficiency. There will not be an ad-hoc mode ... it will be a super efficient Wireless Distribution System (WDS) - not the old bridging WDS that was full of problems.

In the words of Wikipedia " The purpose of the project is to provide a protocol for auto-configuring paths between APs over -configuring multi-hop topologies in a Wireless Distribution System (WDS) to support both broadcast/multicast and unicast traffic in an ESS Mesh using the four-address frame format or an extension. "

The working group has narrowed the 15 submissions received in June 2005 to 4 possibilities

The main 2 groups are the

1. Wi-Mesh alliance consisting of: Accton Technology, ComNets, InterDigital Communications, NextHop Technologies, Nortel, Philips, Extreme Networks, MITRE, Naval_Research_Laboratory and Thomson

Here is there blrub:

The Wi-Mesh proposal provides the specification for a scalable, adaptive and secure WLAN mesh standard.  It offers the flexibility required to satisfy all residential, office, campus, public safety and military usage models.  The proposal focuses on multiple dimensions: the MAC sublayer, the routing, the security and high layer interworking.  The design supports both single-radio and multi-radio platforms.  Moreover, the proposed Medium Coordination Function offers three modes of operation which allow for simple and robust implementations as well as for sophisticated solutions offering optimal performance and spectrum efficiency.  It capitalizes on existing 802.11 amendments by extending QoS prioritization schemes, measurement mechanisms and spectrum management solutions of 802.11 e, k and h to the reality of mesh systems.  The specification also includes features such as: adaptive physical carrier sensing for enhanced spectrum spatial reuse, channel access coordination and RF resource management solutions.  It provides an extended mesh discovery solution with dynamic auto-configuration features and integrated BSS and WLAN 802.11e QoS traffic handling. Security is addressed and extensions and enhancements are provided over the current 802.11i.

2. SEEMesh ( (Simple, Efficient and Extensible Mesh) alliance consisting of: Intel, Nokia, Motorola, NTT DoCoMo and Texas Instruments

Interestingly enough Tropos networks, who were very strong players in USA metropolitan mesh have not signed on to the 802.11s standards process The time line is to have a single joint proposal by the begnning of 2007 and have a standard approved by 2008.

Maybe we could start talking to Nokia about their SEEMesh proposal.

Nice little summary here

It's a pitty that the community mesh players (LocustWorld, CuWin, MeshCube, CSIR ..) don't get involved - they are actually the people who have made mesh networking very real and understand the scale of problems out there.

KD

IETF

Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (manet) Charter Internet-Drafts: The Dynamic Source Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (DSR)

Request For Comments: Mobile Ad hoc Networking (MANET): Routing Protocol Performance Issues and Evaluation Considerations (RFC 2501) Ad Hoc On Demand Distance Vector (AODV) Routing (RFC 3561) Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR) (RFC 3626) Topology Dissemination Based on Reverse-Path Forwarding (TBRPF) (RFC 3684)