Broadband networks [6-10] are being increasingly
deployed in a multi-hop wireless mesh network (WMN) [9]
configuration (Fig.3). These WMNs are being used on the
last mile for extending or enhancing Internet connectivity
for mobile clients located on the edge of the wired network.
In WMNs, nodes are comprised of mesh routers and mesh
clients. Each node operates not only as a host but also as a
router, forwarding packets on behalf of other nodes that
may not be within direct wireless transmission range of
their destinations. Commercial deployments of multi-hop
wireless mesh networks (WMNs) are already in vogue.
The deployed mesh networks will provide commercial
Internet access to residents and local businesses [6-10]. A
WMN is dynamically self-organized and self-configured,
with the nodes in the network automatically establishing
and maintaining mesh connectivity among themselves
(creating in effect, an ad hoc network). This feature brings
many advantages to WMNs such as low up-front cost, easy
network maintenance, robustness, and reliable service
coverage. Conventional nodes (e.g. desktops, laptops, PDA,
pocket PCs, phones etc) equipped with wireless Network
Interface Card (NICs) can connect directly to Wireless
mesh routers. WMN is a promising wireless technology for
numerous applications e.g. Broadband home networking,
Community and neighbourhood networks, enterprise
networking, building automation etc. Wireless Mesh
Networks seamlessly integrate two network architectures –
Adhoc and Wireless LAN - infrastructure based network.
The wireless infrastructure access points provide the
connectivity to the wired backbone. Each node in the
network is both a service provider and a service consumer.
Wireless Mesh Networks as show in Fig.3 are composed
of three distinct network elements as below.