 with peer radio devices that can automatically self-configure and communi- cate with each other. Mesh networks can also self-learn changes in the network: Transmission paths can be adjusted according to changes for optimal throughput. Mesh networking extends the potential of wireless networking. There are two types of mesh networks: full and partial. Full mesh networks connect all WAPs to each other and dynamically self-organize with themselves and clients. In partial mesh networks, nodes are connected to only some, not all, of the other nodes. Each WAP finds routes through the mesh, adjusting for hardware failure, delay, and so on. Does this sound familiar? It should: The Internet is the ultimate mesh net- work. Figure 15.5 illustrates possible mesh topologies in support of both low- and high-traffic networks. In a mesh network, only one WAP needs to be connected directly to the wired network, with the rest sharing a connection over the air. This simplifies installation and design because mesh WAPs can be taken out of the box, plugged in, and dis- covered by the network. WAPs that are moved are automatically rediscovered. It is expected that the IEEE 802.11s standard for mesh networks will see final approval by mid-2008. Other standards in development that will affect mesh networks are IEEE 802.11v, which addresses interoperability of radios, and the IETF effort Control and Provi- WLANs Low-Traffic Mesh Network High-Traffic Mesh Network Figure 15.5 Mesh networks sioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP), which addresses different vendors' WAPs working together. Results from these two camps are expected sometime in 2006 or 2007. Mesh Network Protocols and Implementations A number of protocols and implementations are associated with mesh and ad hoc networking, each with different goals and design criteria: Ad Hoc, On Demand, Distance Vector (AODV)-AODV is recognized as the leading standard for wireless mesh networking. Published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST; www.nist.gov), AODV is 