Patent ID: 8194567

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for establishing a wireless mesh network, comprising: when the wireless mesh network comprising mesh nodes has sparse participation within a defined geographical area; each of the mesh nodes initially determining whether other mesh nodes within the wireless mesh network are within a range using a first transmission frequency that has a larger range of transmission and a lower bandwidth as compared to a range of transmission and a bandwidth of a second transmission frequency; wherein the first transmission frequency is a lower frequency as compared to the second transmission frequency; wherein a first mesh node of the mesh nodes is configured to communicate with other mesh nodes on the wireless mesh network and receive, transmit and route packets to other mesh nodes on the network; each of the mesh nodes establishing a network communication link with the other mesh nodes of the wireless mesh network that are within range using the first transmission frequency; changing an established network communication link from the first transmission frequency to the second transmission frequency between mesh nodes based at least in part upon a determination of an increase of density of the wireless mesh network; and transitioning to a third transmission frequency when the range to at least one of the other mesh nodes is between a specified threshold and another threshold.