The last time I blogged about mesh networks was 5 years ago (almost exactly!). I was pretty pumped about the possibilities in those days – like the idea of creating a 2nd internet using mesh protocols, routing from house to house using WiFi, circumventing ISPs…. hey, it’s still a cool idea, and maybe even possible still, especially with the excess capacity that we have with e.g. 802.11n. Latency would probably be pretty high..

Anyway, back then mesh was a DREAM but now it’s a REALITY. The OLPC “XO” laptop for developing nations uses it! The perfect use case actually. And we have 802.11s, etc., etc… cool.

In the long run I expect that “self-forming” (if not exactly “mesh”) networks over wireless will be a VERY important part of the internet and future networks, if not the most important way that data gets moved around in local and regional areas.