Mesh networking

Digi International has introduced DigiMesh on 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz XBee embedded RF modules.

It is a peer-to-peer mesh networking protocol optimised for battery-powered networks that simplifies mesh networks while providing features such as sleeping routers and support for dense networks.

It will be offered in addition to existing XBee point-to-multipoint and ZigBee mesh networking solutions as part of Digi’s Drop-in Networking range.

In some mesh architectures, devices are often divided into a parent-child relationship of parent routers which provide ‘traffic police’ functions and end devices such as sensors.

The routers often cannot be put into a sleeping state and must be plugged into a power source.

With DigiMesh there is no parent-child architecture. All devices can be put into a sleeping state to conserve power and all can simultaneously be a router and end device.

The device joins other XBee protocols including IEEE 802.15.4, the ZigBee-PRO feature set and multiple proprietary long-range protocols.