Patent ID: 8248949

Claim:
A method for providing an alternative backhaul portal in a mesh network, the method comprising: processing, by a first mesh access point, a registration of a mesh access point as an alternative backhaul portal between the mesh network and an external network, the first mesh access point functioning as a backhaul portal between the mesh network and the external network; determining that additional backhaul capacity is required in the mesh network; activating the mesh access point as an alternative backhaul portal in the mesh network in response to determining that additional backhaul capacity is required; routing mesh network data through the alternative backhaul portal at the mesh access point; determining that additional backhaul capacity is no longer required in the mesh network; deactivating the mesh access point as an alternative backhaul portal in the mesh network in response to determining that additional backhaul capacity is no longer required; wherein activating the mesh access point as an alternative backhaul portal in the mesh network comprises transmitting to the mesh access point a backhaul activation request message; and wherein the backhaul activation request message comprises data selected from the following: a sender node type, an activation bit, activation time information, a current status, and traffic requirements.