Towards a scalability model for wireless mesh networks

Abstract

Zenzeleni mesh network is a wireless ad-hoc mesh network that provides voice services using public analogue telephones to the Mankosi community in the Eastern Cape Province. We would like to improve on the network infrastructure by upgrading the mesh routers and introducing low-end smartphones onto the network; and offer both data and voice over Internet protocol services. However, before deploying resources, it is imperative to identify the maximum number of mesh nodes, clients and simultaneous voice over internet protocol calls that can be supported by the mesh network while maintaining acceptable quality of service levels. Absence of such data might lead to financial risk and time depletion when setting up an optimal network. Bolstering the claim are investigations that report drop in quality levels as network density and hop count escalate. As current investigations mostly yield capacity models to predict per-node throughput with increasing hop count, we propose experiments to devise a scalability model to quantify scalability of mesh networks in this paper. We recommend experimental implementations at simulation level in Network Simulator-3 moving on to testbeds built using WiBed, and then finally take results to the field.