Towards Resilient Community Wireless Mesh Networks

Abstract

Wireless Mesh Networks are an increasingly common technology providing connectivity in many communities, particularly where Internet access is unavailable or restricted via more conventional means. Their comparative ease of installation and relatively low cost makes this especially true for communities which might previously have lacked the technical knowledge or skill to attempt such an endeavour. In such a situation it is important that the operation of the network should be easily manageable; to this end the overall resiliency of the network is a key factor, enabling the network to resolve and remediate problems as they arise without requiring external technical understanding or input. This research aims to improve the resilience of community mesh networks by improving their security, initially examining the use of risk analysis techniques in this environment to identify potential attack vectors. This understanding will then be used to investigate intrusion detection techniques for operation specifically in a community environment.