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docs:guide-user:network:wifi:mesh:80211s [2024/09/02 18:15] – added list of options for future work thomascrisandocs:guide-user:network:wifi:mesh:80211s [2024/09/03 12:40] – [IEEE 802.11s Wireless Mesh Networking] Add warning bluewavenet
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 ====== IEEE 802.11s Wireless Mesh Networking ====== ====== IEEE 802.11s Wireless Mesh Networking ======
  
-===== Introduction ===== + 
-===What is a Wireless Mesh Network? ==== +<WRAP center round alert 60%> 
-A small mesh network can be an excellent solution for placing remote Access Points (APs) throughout an area where running cables is impractical. In a mesh network:+**WARNING! This document contains many errors and misconceptions.\\ 
 +Many paragraphs are produced using an online LLM and added without any verification** 
 + 
 +</WRAP> 
 +  
 +===== Preface ===== 
 +An IEEE 802.11s mesh has many applications, from small home and offices to enterprise level applications.  A small mesh network can be an excellent solution for placing remote Access Points (APs) throughout an area where running cables is impractical. In a mesh network:
   * APs communicate with each other using their own wireless channel instead of cabling.   * APs communicate with each other using their own wireless channel instead of cabling.
   * When properly configured, APs automatically find each other and determine the best way to transmit information between stations.   * When properly configured, APs automatically find each other and determine the best way to transmit information between stations.
-==== IEEE 802.11s: The Open Standard for Wireless Mesh Networks ==== +===== Introduction ===== 
-IEEE 802.11s is an open standard that defines how wireless devices can interconnect to form a wireless LAN mesh network within the existing IEEE 802.11 wireless framework. Key features include:+The purpose of this topic is to provide the necessary information for setting up an IEEE 802.11s mesh and to provide the necessary concepts, setup information and troubleshooting methods so that a set of OpenWrt routers can be used in a mesh configuration. 
 +==== IEEE 802.11s: An Open Standard for Wireless Mesh Networks ==== 
 +IEEE 802.11 is an open standard that defines how wireless devices can interconnect to form a wireless LAN mesh network within the existing IEEE 802.11 wireless framework.  The current version is IEEE 802.11-2020, and this version has also been published as ISO/IEC/IEEE 8802-11:2022.  The version implemented in the Linux kernel, and therefore used in OpenWrt, is based on IEEE 802.11-2016. The first release of mesh networking in IEEE standards was IEEE 802.11s-2011, which was soon superseded by IEEE 802.11-2012.  The "s" was the amendment letter to the previous version of IEEE 802.11, hence the name IEEE 802.11s. 
 +Key features include:
   * Standardized, flexible, and scalable solution for wireless mesh networking   * Standardized, flexible, and scalable solution for wireless mesh networking
   * Supports dynamic, self-healing, and multi-hop network typologies   * Supports dynamic, self-healing, and multi-hop network typologies
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   * Event connectivity   * Event connectivity
 These are some extensions to OpenWrt's implementation of IEEE 802.11s: These are some extensions to OpenWrt's implementation of IEEE 802.11s:
-  * Mesh11sd: a shell script daemon to assist in the setup and maintenance of a group of mesh stations+  * [[docs:guide-user:network:wifi:mesh:mesh11sd|Mesh11sd:]] a shell script daemon to assist in the setup and maintenance of a group of mesh stations 
 +  * [[https://openwisp.org/|OpenWISP:]] is an open-source network management system designed to manage and automate various aspects of IT network deployment, monitoring, and management. It is built on top of OpenWrt
   * Layer 2 Support Packages:   * Layer 2 Support Packages:
-    * B.A.T.M.A.N.-Advanced (batman-adv)+    * [[docs:guide-user:network:wifi:mesh:batman|B.A.T.M.A.N.-Advanced]] (batman-adv)
   * Layer 3 Support Packages:   * Layer 3 Support Packages:
     * B.A.T.M.A.N. (Better Approach To Mobile Adhoc Networking)     * B.A.T.M.A.N. (Better Approach To Mobile Adhoc Networking)
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     * OLSR (Optimised Link State Routing)     * OLSR (Optimised Link State Routing)
 ==== Concepts & Terminology ==== ==== Concepts & Terminology ====
-To start with some terminology, the first term is that IEEE 802.11s mesh points or nodes are called stations, also known as **STA**s.  A self-contained set of mesh stations is known at as a **Mesh Basic Service Set** or by the abbreviation **MBSS**. Here are the main types of stations that often make up a small to medium-sized MBSS.+For consistency, the terms and definitions used on this page are those used in the IEEE 802.11 standards.  This will hopefully eliminate ambiguities and allow ease of additional research to other sources of information.  To start, the first term is that IEEE 802.11s mesh points or nodes are called stations, also known as **STA**s.  A self-contained set of mesh stations is known at as a **Mesh Basic Service Set** or by the abbreviation **MBSS**. Here are the main types of stations that often make up a small to medium-sized MBSS.
   * **Mesh Point (MP)**: Mesh Points form the backbone of the mesh network by relaying data and participating in path selection. A mesh point is a basic station in the mesh network that is capable of establishing wireless mesh links with other MPs. MPs can relay frames to other MPs and participate in the mesh path selection protocol, thereby helping to create and maintain the mesh network topology.   * **Mesh Point (MP)**: Mesh Points form the backbone of the mesh network by relaying data and participating in path selection. A mesh point is a basic station in the mesh network that is capable of establishing wireless mesh links with other MPs. MPs can relay frames to other MPs and participate in the mesh path selection protocol, thereby helping to create and maintain the mesh network topology.
   * **Mesh Portal (MPP)**: A mesh portal is a specialized station that connects the mesh network to other types of networks, such as Ethernet or another 802.11 network. In OpenWrt, MPPs serve as gateways, allowing data to flow between the mesh network and external networks. This is crucial for providing Internet access or integrating the mesh network with other network infrastructures.   * **Mesh Portal (MPP)**: A mesh portal is a specialized station that connects the mesh network to other types of networks, such as Ethernet or another 802.11 network. In OpenWrt, MPPs serve as gateways, allowing data to flow between the mesh network and external networks. This is crucial for providing Internet access or integrating the mesh network with other network infrastructures.
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 **Note:** As time permits, the definitions of these options will be added. **Note:** As time permits, the definitions of these options will be added.
-  *     mesh_fwding +  *     **''mesh_fwding''**: controls whether the mesh station will forward packets not destined for it. Setting mesh_fwding to 0 disables this behaviour, meaning that the station will only handle its own traffic and will not forward packets from other stations. This should only be set to 0 for some specific reason and only if any of the other mesh access points don't need to hop through this router to get to the mesh portal. For example, a low bandwidth router set up as a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device can use this setting to insure other traffic doesn't burden this device. 
-  *     mesh_rssi_threshold+  *     **''mesh_rssi_threshold''**: is used to define the minimum signal strength (RSSI, Received Signal Strength Indicator) that a mesh station requires to establish and maintain a link with another mesh station. If the signal strength of a potential link falls.
   *     ifname   *     ifname
   *     macaddr   *     macaddr
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   *     network   *     network
   *     mesh_hwmp_rootmode   *     mesh_hwmp_rootmode
-  *     mesh_ttl +  *     **''mesh_ttl''**: is the mesh Time-To-Live value controlling the number of hops a mesh packet can traverse in the network. TTL settings (this one and the next) are used to limit the number of hops a packet can take before being discarded, preventing packets from circulating indefinitely and potentially causing network congestion.  With small personal mesh systems of less than 10 stations, this can be a small value, something no larger than 3 to 5 unless you have your mesh stations all in a single line requiring more hops. 
-  *     mesh_element_ttl+  *     **''mesh_element_ttl''**: is the parameter that determines the mesh management frames Time-To-Live (TTL) hops.  Management frames are used for mesh routing and control purposes within the mesh network.  Again, for  small personal mesh systems of less than 10 stations, this can be a small value, something no larger than 3 to 5 unless you have an unusual arrangement of your mesh stations.  **''mesh_element_ttl''** applies to management frames used for network control and routing information dissemination, while **''mesh_ttl''** applies to data frames carrying actual user data.
   *     mesh_retry_timeout   *     mesh_retry_timeout
   *     mesh_confirm_timeout   *     mesh_confirm_timeout
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   *     mesh_gate_announcements   *     mesh_gate_announcements
   *     mesh_max_retries   *     mesh_max_retries
-  *     mesh_hwmp_max_preq_retries+  *     **''mesh_hwmp_max_preq_retries''** specifies the maximum number of times a mesh point (MP) will retry sending a Path Request (PREQ) message when trying to establish or update a route to another mesh point. For small to medium sized networks (up to 20 stations), 1 to 2 retries should to be sufficient. 
 +  * **''mesh_max_peer_links''**: determines the maximum number of peer links (connections between mesh stations) that a single mesh station can establish. This parameter's role is in managing the connectivity and performance of the mesh network, especially as the network size and complexity increases.  For a small to medium sized network (up to 20 stations), a setting of 3 to 5 peer links per station should be sufficient.  A moderate number of peer links ensures reliable connectivity without overloading more distant individual stations.
   *     mesh_path_refresh_time   *     mesh_path_refresh_time
   *     mesh_hwmp_active_path_timeout   *     mesh_hwmp_active_path_timeout
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   * [[http://www.cwnp.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/802.11s_mesh_networking_v1.0.pdf|Old but useful historic information:]] from CWNP   * [[http://www.cwnp.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/802.11s_mesh_networking_v1.0.pdf|Old but useful historic information:]] from CWNP
   * [[https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/Documentation/ieee80211/802.11s|Old but useful introduction to the 802.11s standard:]] from kernel.org   * [[https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/developers/Documentation/ieee80211/802.11s|Old but useful introduction to the 802.11s standard:]] from kernel.org
-  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVoZppb_FR0 | A very outdated and somewhat misleading video that nevertheless serves as a basic introduction to 802.11s mesh networking: ]] on Youtube+  * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVoZppb_FR0 | A basic but outdated introduction to setting up a IEEE 802.11s mesh with OpenWrt: ]] on Youtube
   * [[https://openwisp.io/docs/dev/tutorials/mesh.html|Tutorial for setting up, managing and monitoring an 802.11s mesh network with OpenWISP]], a centralized controller for OpenWrt   * [[https://openwisp.io/docs/dev/tutorials/mesh.html|Tutorial for setting up, managing and monitoring an 802.11s mesh network with OpenWISP]], a centralized controller for OpenWrt
  • Last modified: 2024/09/23 17:13
  • by taylorkline