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IEEE 802.11s is an IEEE 802.11 amendment that specifies the creation of a wireless mesh network (WMN) in a wireless local area network (WLAN). It facilitates direct communication by provisioning multiple wireless nodes for interconnection and communication without a required access point (AP).
Techopedia Explains IEEE 802.11s
IEEE 802.11s extends the media access control (MAC) sublayer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model’s data link layer by allowing self-configuration of IEEE 802.11 stations for multi-hop networks with multicast and unicast transmission support. IEEE 802.11s provisions multiple nodes to form a multi-hop wireless network that facilitates communication between dispersed and supported IEEE 802.11s stations.
IEEE 802.11s specifies three node types:
- Mesh point: Finds coexisting nodes
- Mesh portal: Provides Internet connectivity
- Mesh access point (AP): Operates as a mesh-specific AP
