ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how several wireless mesh networks can be used to support a variety of networking activities and how HotPoint routers are set up and configured, and discusses their operation. It shows how Internet connectivity could be easily expanded to the community of homes around the author’s house through the addition of HotPoint routers designed for outdoor use as well as the strategic placement of indoor routers. Prior to positioning the HotPoint wireless routers in his home this author downloaded and installed HotPoint Manager software from the Firetide Web site as a mechanism to examine wireless mesh networking options available for configuring the vendor’s routers. Management of the mesh network requires a hardwired connection between the platform operating the HotPoint Manager and one HotPoint router. The 11 Mbps used in the equation’s denominator reflect the highest IEEE 802.11b operating rate of the Firetide HotPoint routers.
