What is wireless mesh networking?

A wireless mesh network consists of multiple wireless access points (mesh nodes) that interconnect with each other wirelessly, extending coverage without requiring Ethernet cables to every AP. Each node can communicate with any other node in range — traffic is routed through the mesh to reach the gateway. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi where all APs connect back to a controller via cable (star topology), mesh networks self-organize and self-heal — if one node fails or becomes congested, traffic automatically routes through alternate paths. Technologies: 802.11s (IEEE standard for wireless mesh), proprietary mesh protocols (Eero, Google Nest Wifi, Orbi use 802.11ac/ax with dedicated backhaul bands). Dedicated backhaul: one radio band handles mesh inter-node traffic, another handles client connections — better performance than shared backhaul. Use cases: large homes, enterprise campuses, outdoor deployments (city-wide mesh for public Wi-Fi), tactical military networks. Challenges: hop count increases latency; careful placement is needed to avoid "hidden node" problems.