when last we saw our hero (Monday, Sep 06, 2004), 
 stuart was madly tapping out:
> I am doing some research on structured Mesh networks using Soekris
> mother boards and Mesh Dynamics software. www.meshdynamics.com  I
> have done some testing with the Locustworlds open source meshing
> software, but have found that as the number of hops increases, the
> performance decreases substantially.  From what I understand it is
> do to the single radio AP repeater architecture.  A Structured Mesh
> uses dual and tri-band AP's to utilize different frequencies for the
> backhaul and client communications and thus performs better as hops
> are added, at lest that's what they claim.  
>
> Has anyone out there built any mesh networks that might have any
> input or might be interested in helping me test the Mesh Dynamics
> system?  Jay, Brad you just deployed the Tropos system in Chaska, do
> you have any thoughts?
>  

stuart-

just to follow up on this a bit.  you're right about the single vs.
multiple radio benefits from a performance perspective.  i haven't
played with the meshdynamics stuff, but i have played with the
locustworld stuff on my own with a couple of nodes just to monkey with
AODV implemention.  

in poking at the meshdynamics stuff, it's not really clear what
they're doing from a control plane perspective. it looks to be some
sort of enhanced BCP, but in glossing over their stuff briefly i
wasn't certain.  they make references to what they call "network
switch stacks" in their documentation, which to me is just
marketingdorkese for access, agg & core. 

i haven't had time to play with the creation of p-t-p backbone links
running a real L3 routing protocol (read: OSPF) over them which
requires multi-radio platforms to provide the BB and access links that
are required.  perhaps now that the house remodelling is coming to a
conclusion i'll be able to find some time for that.



-- 
steve ulrich                       sulrich at botwerks.org
PGP: 8D0B 0EE9 E700 A6CF ABA7  AE5F 4FD4 07C9 133B FAFC

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