What is the possible difference between a Wired Mesh Network and a Wireless Mesh Network? How can this be explained diagrammatically?
1 Answer
Most wired networks use Ethernet cables to transfer data between connected PCs. In a small wired network, a single router may be used to connect all the computers. Larger networks often involve multiple routers or switches that connect to each other.
Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) consist of mesh routers that collect and forward the traffic generated by mesh clients. Mesh routers are typically fixed and equipped with multiple radio interfaces. Mesh clients are mobile, and data are forwarded by mesh routers to the intended destination. One or more mesh routers may have gateway functionality and provide connectivity to other networks such as internet access, as shown below. In the WMNs, most of the flows are between the mesh client and the gateway; this kind of traffic is called internet traffic which is the common WMNs traffic as users need to access wired resources.
Sources:
1. https://techterms.com/definition/wired
2. "Wireless Mesh Networks - Efficient Link Scheduling, Channel Assignment and Network Planning Strategies", book edited by Andrey V. Krendzel