Abstract: A method for detecting the status of a mesh node in a wireless mesh network, wherein a gateway is building up a vector over time by combining active detection, passive detection and binary tests on anomaly metrics and wherein the status of the mesh node is regarded as misbehaving when the vector reaches a certain level.

Abstract: A method for detecting the status of a mesh node in a wireless mesh network, wherein a gateway is building up a vector over time by combining active detection, passive detection and binary tests on anomaly metrics and wherein the status of the mesh node is regarded as misbehaving when the vector reaches a certain level.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for estimating a location within an area are disclosed. One method includes determining a plurality of wireless signal signatures at a plurality of locations within the area, wherein each wireless signal signatures includes a characteristic of a plurality of wireless links between a device and a plurality of network access points at a one of the plurality of locations, wherein the plurality of wireless signal signatures are received by a network manager server. Further, the network manager server receives a present wireless signal signature of a current device. The method further includes estimating locations the current device, including comparing a present wireless signal signature of the current device with plurality of wireless signal signatures, and adaptively re-determining the plurality of wireless signal signatures based on at least one condition of a distributed wireless network that includes the plurality of network access points.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for monitoring and controlling a connection quality of a wireless extender are disclosed. One apparatus includes a wireless extender, wherein the wireless extender includes a wireless transceiver and a controller. The wireless transceiver is operative to support a wireless connection between the wireless extender and an access point. The controller is operative to monitor a connection quality of the wireless link between the wireless extender and the access point, detect when the connection quality is less than a threshold, and select one or more recommendations when the connection quality is detected to be less than the threshold based upon a determined feasibility of each of a plurality of possible recommendations, wherein the plurality of possible recommendations includes moving the wireless extender, moving the access point, and adding a node between the wireless extender and the access point.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for monitoring and controlling a connection quality of a wireless extender are disclosed. One apparatus includes a wireless extender, wherein the wireless extender includes a wireless transceiver and a controller. The wireless transceiver is operative to support a wireless connection between the wireless extender and an access point. The controller is operative to monitor a connection quality of the wireless link between the wireless extender and the access point, detect when the connection quality is less than a threshold, and select one or more recommendations when the connection quality is detected to be less than the threshold based upon a determined feasibility of each of a plurality of possible recommendations, wherein the plurality of possible recommendations includes moving the wireless extender, moving the access point, and adding a node between the wireless extender and the access point.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for estimating a location within an area are disclosed. One method includes determining a plurality of wireless signal signatures at a plurality of locations within the area, wherein each wireless signal signatures includes a characteristic of a plurality of wireless links between a device and a plurality of network access points at a one of the plurality of locations, wherein the plurality of wireless signal signatures are received by a network manager server. Further, the network manager server receives a present wireless signal signature of a current device. The method further includes estimating locations the current device, including comparing a present wireless signal signature of the current device with plurality of wireless signal signatures, and adaptively re-determining the plurality of wireless signal signatures based on at least one condition of a distributed wireless network that includes the plurality of network access points.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of a mobile node selecting a transmission channel of a mesh network is disclosed. The method includes the mobile node detecting a quality of routing beacons received over a previously selected transmission channel. If the quality of the routing beacons is below a predetermined threshold, then the mobile node transmits probe requests on each of a plurality of available transmission channels. Responses to the probe request are collected from at least one upstream access nodes over at least one of the available transmission channels. A new transmission channel is selected based upon the responses received over the available transmission channels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of allowing client roaming between gateways of a wireless mesh network is disclosed. The gateways are connected through a layer 3 network to an aggregation router. The method includes a first gateway sending a first route update to the aggregation router when a client joins a first cluster of the first gateway, the first gateway aging the route, and a second gateway sending a second route update to the aggregation router when the client roams to a second cluster of the second gateway.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of classifying data packets is disclosed. One method includes a wireless access node identifying a flow of data packets based on source and destination addresses of the data packets. The wireless access node classifies the data packets of the identified flow of data packets as requiring a predetermined quality of service by determining if the identified flow of data packets comprise an inter-arrival time less than a first inter-arrival threshold.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of using multiple radios of a wireless access node of a wireless network are disclosed. One method includes selecting a 4.9 GHz radio exclusively for public safety data packets, selecting other radios for other types of data packets, and selecting other radios for public safety data packets depending upon specification by a network operator.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of a method of a wireless mesh network proposing access nodes for conversion to gateways is disclosed. The method includes each access node of the wireless mesh network measuring wireless mesh network metrics. A server connected to the wireless mesh network obtains the network metrics, and calculates a desirability of conversion of at least one access node to a gateway based upon the network metrics. An apparatus and method of a server of a wireless mesh network calculating which access nodes of the wireless mesh network should be converted to gateways is also disclosed. The method includes the server receiving wireless mesh network metrics from the access nodes, and calculating which of the access nodes should be converted based upon the network metrics.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method of client device roaming from a home subnet to a foreign subnet of a network. The method includes the client device accessing the network through a first access node of the home subnet, and the client device roaming to a second access node of the foreign subnet, the client device accessing the network through the second access node, the client device maintaining a fixed client IP address, default gateway IP address and IP subnet attachment as the client device roams from the first access node to the second access node.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of propagating a size of a cluster within a wireless mesh network is disclosed. The method includes a gateway within the cluster maintaining information of access nodes within the cluster. The gateway determines a cluster size based on the maintained information, and transmits routing packets that include the cluster size of the gateway. An apparatus and method of balancing clusters of a wireless mesh network is also disclosed. The method includes the gateway of each cluster originating beacons, wherein the beacons include a size of the cluster of the gateway. The access nodes of each cluster, re-broadcasts beacons received from the gateway of the cluster. A connecting access node selects which cluster to connect to at least in part based on the size of each of the clusters.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of pre-qualifying a potential customer of a wireless network is disclosed. The prequalification includes obtaining a location input by the potential customer, and accessing a wireless network performance database. An expected level of wireless connection performance of the potential customer is estimated based upon the location input by the potential customer, and wireless network performance stored within the network performance database. The expected level of performance is communicated to the potential customer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of a mobile access node selecting a data transmission rate is disclosed. The method includes the mobile access node receiving beacons from a plurality of wireless clusters. Each beacon advertises a data transmission rate a gateway of the wireless cluster that originates the beacon. The mobile access node identifies at least one qualified routing path. The at least one qualified routing path includes a best quality routing path, and other routing paths having a quality within a predetermined margin of the best quality routing path. The mobile access node selects the data transmission rate of the mobile access node to be the lowest data transmission rate advertised by beacons of the at least one qualified routing path.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of using multiple radios of a wireless access node of a wireless network are disclosed. One method includes selecting a 4.9 GHz radio exclusively for public safety data packets, selecting other radios for other types of data packets, and selecting other radios for public safety data packets depending upon specification by a network operator.

Abstract: A method of selecting at least one routing path between an access node and a gateway is provided. The method includes the access node receiving over a plurality of channels, indicators from at least one upstream access node, the indicators providing information of selected upstream paths between each of the upstream access nodes and upstream gateways. The access node determines an optimal set of routing paths between the access node and at least one upstream gateway, based upon the indicators, the optimal set of routing paths including a combination of paths over multiple channels.

Abstract: A method of wirelessly routing based on data packet type is disclosed. The method includes a wireless access node wirelessly receiving a data packet. The wireless access node classifies the data packet, and selects one of multiple node interfaces based on the classification of the data packet, and/or characteristics of the node interfaces. The wireless access node forwards the data packet over the selected node interface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of selecting a routing path through a mesh network that includes a mobile access node is disclosed. The method includes each access node of the mesh network capable of receiving routing beacons from at least one upstream access node. The routing beacons including information of all upstream access nodes along a path to a gateway access node. The mobile access node selecting a route through an upstream access node based upon a quality of beacons received from at least one upstream access node, and whether the at least one upstream access node is a fixed access node or another mobile access node.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method of client device roaming from a home subnet to a foreign subnet of a network. The method includes the client device accessing the network through a first access node of the home subnet, and the client device roaming to a second access node of the foreign subnet, the client device accessing the network through the second access node, the client device maintaining a fixed client IP address, default gateway IP address and IP subnet attachment as the client device roams from the first access node to the second access node.