Mesh Networking Mesh networks allow for wireless Ethernet (broadband) coverage of large or complex geographical areas as typically experienced in modern mine sites and industrial plants. A Nexis mesh network operates by forming dynamic associations between all other neighbouring NexisTM devices. Each device operates as a router and forwards traffic to the neighbour that is best positioned to reach the final destination. This type of mesh network is autonomous, self-configuring and self-healing for maximum availability and reliability in the most demanding environments.  Links  Nexis home page  Downloads - factsheets, whitepapers, news  Request a white paper: Wireless Mesh Networks for industry  Request more information on Nexis and it's applications  The Benefits of Mesh Large and Complex Geographical Coverage By automatically forwarding data between neighbouring Nexis nodes, information is able to reach much further than possible with a standard Wi-Fi connection. Reliability and available wireless coverage is expanded with each new Nexis node introduced into the network. The typical distance between nodes may range from as little as 1m to over 2km allowing complete industrial site coverage when several nodes are utilised in a Nexis mesh solution. Extended distances are also possible using enhanced antenna and amplifier components. Low Cost Nexis meshing enables wireless peer-to-peer networks to form between and among Nexis nodes and does not require any high-cost network infrastructure to be present. Ease of Maintenance Nexis mesh networks are self-configuring and self-healing. When a node (e.g. mine truck) comes into range of another node, the devices will automatically communicate, joining the new device to the network.  Overview of Mesh A wireless mesh network is a collection of wireless devices, typically operating as routers that use special algorithms to dynamically adapt to changes in the network. These changes may be triggered by factors such as environmental changes, movement of the nodes or even failure of nodes due to loss of power for example. A mesh typically consists of two or more devices, however at least three are required before any level of redundancy can be achieved. Mesh networking builds up a widely spread, multi-hop network that dynamically establishes connections between neighbouring nodes. When a node connects to the mesh, it begins to exchange messages with the other nodes in the network. These messages allow each mesh node to maintain an up to date understanding of the best way to route data to every other node. Compare it to how data packets travel over the internet. Using dynamic routing, data will hop from one node to another until it reaches it's destination. The routing algorithm should always try to ensure that the data takes the best or most appropriate route, not necessarily the shortest route, to the destination. For a mobile mesh network, the route should be chosen based on factors such as the available bandwidth and the signal strength. One final, and often significant, feature present in many mesh solutions is an integrated Access Point. This results in every mesh node, such as a vehicle within a mine, being able to provide standard WiFi connectivity to WiFi compliant client devices, while also retaining the advantages of the mesh architecture for all the data they transmit.