Wireless Mesh (Community) Networks

Summary:

Wireless multi-hop mesh networks play an increasingly important role as backbones for sensor networks and as community networks that provide Internet access in urban areas.

Realizing a wireless mesh network turns out to be non-trivial. One of their biggest challenges is the insufficient scalability with increasing number of nodes and users. The most important reason for this phenomenon can be found in the structure of a multi-hop network: a node is responsible not only for the transmission of its own data, but also for forwarding packets of other nodes. No less significant is the fact that wireless network nodes in close proximity interfere with each other because they share the same medium. With the help of our Humboldt Wireless Lab testbed we can develop, test and evaluate new routing protocols for wireless multi-hop mesh networks. For the wireless links we are currently using 802.11 (WiFi), and are planning to integrate 802.16 (WiMax) soon.

Competency Profile:

• Protocol Simulation/Evaluation (NS2, JiST/SWANS, NSClick)
• Embedded Systems Software Engineering (Linux for MIPS, Click, embedded devices)
• Wireless Mesh Routing protocols (opportunistic routing, multi channel routing)
• Self-Organization, Auto-Configuration algorithms
• 802.11, 802.16 networks (MAC and device driver)

Projects:

• Berlin RoofNet (core) Project  [more]

The focus of the BRN core project is to test and evaluate new protocols (e.g. routing, auto-configuration) in a real world mesh network (indoor and outdoor).

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• WiMAX

Is a joint project with the NEC Europe Network Laboratories on WiMAX/WiFi integration.
More information upon request.

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• OLSR-Experiment  [more]

The FreiFunk.Net project runs a wireless community network in Berlin, Germany. There protocols and algorithms (e.g. OLSR) differ strongly from the one used in BRN. The aim of this project is the integration of heterogeneous mesh networks (here FreiFunk.Net with BRN).

Teaching:

• Wireless Mesh Technologies (summer 2007)
• Security in Wireless Networks
• Self-Organizing Middleware
• Berlin RoofNet Technilogies
• Peer-to-Peer Networks
• Ad-Hoc Networks

Publications:

• SAR-PR-2007-01
  Multi-Channel Opportunistic Routing. Anatolij Zubow, Mathias Kurth, Jens-Peter Redlich, 10 pages. IEEE European Wireless Conference, Paris, April 2007.
  [SAR-PR-2007-01_.pdf] [Abstract] [Conference Paper]

• SAR-PR-2006-11
  Multi-Channel Opportunistic Routing in Multi-Hop Wireless Networks. Anatolij Zubow, Mathias Kurth, Jens-Peter Redlich, 20 pages.
  [SAR-PR-2006-11.pdf] [Abstract]

• SAR-PR-2006-10
  Self-Organization in Community Mesh Networks: The Berlin RoofNet. Robert Sombrutzki, Anatolij Zubow, Mathias Kurth, Jens-Peter Redlich, Proceedings of IEEE OpComm2006, 11 pages.
  [pdf] [Abstract]

• SAR-PR-2006-02
  Multi-Channel Link-level Measurements in 802.11 Mesh Networks. Mathias Kurth, Anatolij Zubow, Jens Peter Redlich. IWCMC 2006 - International Conference on Wireless Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks, Vancouver, Canada, July 3-6, 2006.
  [Release Pending] [Abstract]

• SAR-PR-2006-01
  Development of a Software Distribution Platform for the Berlin Roof Net (Diplomarbeit / Masters Thesis). Bernhard Wiedemann. 73 pages.
  [SAR-PR-2006-01.pdf]

• SAR-PR-2005-03
  Hacking the Netgear wgt634u. Jens-Peter Redlich, Anatolij Zubow, Wolf Müller, Mathias Jeschke, Jens Müller. 16 pages.
  [Release Pending] [Abstract]

Contacts:

Anatolij Zubow, Mathias Kurth, Jens-Peter Redlich