e-Infrastructure and e-Services for Developing Countries. Third International ICST Conference, AFRICOMM 2011, Zanzibar, Tanzania, November 23-24, 2011, Revised Selected Papers

Research Article

SolarMesh - Energy-Efficient, Autonomous Wireless Networks for Developing Countries

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-642-29093-0_10,
        author={Christian Mannweiler and Christian Lottermann and Andreas Klein and Hans Schotten},
        title={SolarMesh - Energy-Efficient, Autonomous Wireless Networks for Developing Countries},
        proceedings={e-Infrastructure and e-Services for Developing Countries. Third International ICST Conference, AFRICOMM 2011, Zanzibar, Tanzania, November 23-24, 2011, Revised Selected Papers},
        proceedings_a={AFRICOMM},
        year={2012},
        month={5},
        keywords={wireless mesh networks communications infrastructure for rural areas autarkic energy supply situation-aware network management self-adaptation},
        doi={10.1007/978-3-642-29093-0_10}
    }
    
  • Christian Mannweiler
    Christian Lottermann
    Andreas Klein
    Hans Schotten
    Year: 2012
    SolarMesh - Energy-Efficient, Autonomous Wireless Networks for Developing Countries
    AFRICOMM
    Springer
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-29093-0_10
Christian Mannweiler1,*, Christian Lottermann1,*, Andreas Klein1,*, Hans Schotten1,*
  • 1: University of Kaiserslautern
*Contact email: mannweiler@eit.uni-kl.de, lottermann@eit.uni-kl.de, aklein@eit.uni-kl.de, schotten@eit.uni-kl.de

Abstract

This paper presents the research and development activities within ” - Energy-Efficient, Autonomous, Wide-Area Wireless Voice and Data Network”, a R&D project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The project, bringing together expertise from academia and industry in Germany, is specifically dedicated to develop reliable wireless communications infrastructure for rural areas in developing countries, such as in sub-Saharan Africa. Wireless mesh networks based on IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN technology combined with intelligent functions for self-configuration and self-adaptation can provide affordable ICT infrastructure for access and backhaul operation while at the same time offering carrier-grade QoS for voice and data services. Moreover, the paper outlines how the SolarMesh network operates independently from (potentially unreliable) local energy grids using autarkic energy supply (solar power) and implementing energy-aware routing and handover functions.