Abstract: Methods, software and apparatus for determining the quality of a wireless mesh network (ie a network comprising a plurality of access nodes supporting wireless communications both with user terminals and between themselves), comprises storing information relating to the access nodes, the information including whether or not each access node is a data sink (ie is connected to an external network, typically a wireline network with relatively higher capacity); determining measures of traffic flow on wireless links between said access nodes; determining measures of capacity on the wireless links; and determining the quality of the network in dependence on the stored information, the measures of traffic flow, and the measures of capacity.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods and apparatus for transmitting data between a first node and a second node in a communications network, for example a wireless network. The method comprises the steps of selecting a transmission channel from a predetermined set of transmission channels according to probability information and transmitting data using the selected channel. The probability information is based on a determination of a characteristic of previous transmissions using each of said set of channels. The invention is also directed to a method of selecting a channel at a node in a communications network for communication with a second node.