BreadCrumb
®
ME3 User Guide
Rajant Corporation
Version: 1.02
In many cases, BreadCrumbs will perform all of these tasks as shipped with no configuration
necessary at all, providing an instant TAN (Tactical Area Network). Moreover, because
BreadCrumbs use industry-standard 802.11 communications, client devices such as laptops or
handheld computers require no special hardware, software, or configuration to access a BCWN.
1.2 Mobility through Meshing
The key component to a BCWN is a technique known as
meshing
. While this is generally handled
automatically by BreadCrumbs, complex deployment scenarios require a basic understanding of how
BreadCrumbs establish and maintain a mesh.
1.2.1 Mesh – A Definition
A mesh is a collection of network devices (in our case, BreadCrumbs), each of which is linked to one
or more other BreadCrumbs. Data can move between BreadCrumbs via these links, possibly passing
through several intermediate BreadCrumbs before arriving at its final destination.
The intelligence of a BCWN is in how it adapts rapidly to the creation or destruction of the links in
the mesh as devices are moved, switched OFF or ON, blocked by obstructions, interfered with by
other devices, or otherwise affected. This adaptation takes place automatically and immediately as
needed.
Note
Although all BreadCrumbs can be access points, most access points do not provide
mesh capability. Traditional access points simply allow wireless devices within
range to connect to a wired network; they do not extend range through other access
points.
1.2.2 BreadCrumbs Mesh by Channel and ESSID
Two BreadCrumbs establish a mesh link to each other when they share both a radio channel and an
ESSID. An ESSID is essentially a name for a wireless network. By default, BreadCrumb ME3 uses
the ESSID “breadcrumb54-v10.” Also by default, BreadCrumb ME3-09 model devices use channel
6, and BreadCrumb ME3-24 model devices use channel 11.
The following examples illustrate the use of channels and ESSIDs:
2
