MINT: capabilities, functionality and performance

Topology: anything you can imagine

MINT technology is capable of forming wireless and even wired networks with any topology. As most common topologies and scenarios, the following can be mentioned:

• Point-to-Point (including E1/T1)
• Repeaters (multi-hop connections using dual-radio units as repeater stations)
• Point-to-Multipoint (star topology)
• Single-frequency mesh (implemented on a single-radio units)
• Multiple-frequency mesh (multi-layered mesh network based on single- and dual-radio units)
• Multiple-frequency mesh with built-in Wi-Fi AP (multi-layered mesh network also providing 802.11a/b/g access from built-in Wi-Fi AP)
• Mixed topologies combining any of the above

MINT will immediately react to any change in network topology and will rebuild its devices. For example, configuration flexibility allows configuring the same unit to be a mesh unit when there is no Base Station (“master”) around but once the master is there all mesh units can be connected in star topology to the master. Not only physical interfaces like radio and Ethernet can participate in MINT networks but logical interfaces such as tunnels or pseudo-radio interfaces can be used providing the network with great scalability and fabulous flexibility.

Optimal Path Finding Algorithm: Ensuring Lowest Latency

Multiple mechanisms in MINT such as interfaces “joining” and “pseudo radio interface” coupled with tunnelling (both IP-over-IP and Ethernet-over-IP tunnelling supported) can be used to create huge MINT network segments even though some parts of it may not be interconnected wirelessly or even may relocate in totally different geographical areas but belonging to one network (for example, same ISP). MINT features a powerful loop-free shortest path finding algorithm which takes multiple parameters of the whole network into consideration and selects an optimal path for every single packet with smallest latency being a key criterion in choosing this path. With each link in MINT network having a cost, it is calculated according to link’s current load, bitrates, number of retries, possibility of interference, signal levels, overall link stability and other quality parameters. If you do not want to lease everything out to automatics, a number of parameters available in every unit allow making manual adjustments to link costs for the unit and its neighbours thus giving opportunity to set priorities to certain “directions” or “sub-segments” in the network or to optimize and balance traffic flows.

Making your network a single whole

MINT technology provides with powerful tools to optimize your network performance:

• Pseudo-radio interface (PRF) mechanism.Units in MINT network can be interconnected not only by using radio interface but also using its physical Ethernet interface. In this case MINT network device and new device are connected through wire Ethernet connection but MINT consider new device as a part of the MINT network that is connected via pseudo radio interface. Moreover, one can combine two MINT networks which are separated by some Ethernet network into one MINT network by using Pseudo radio interface and tunneling. This can be useful, for example, when providing reserve channel or deploying network circuit. MINT will automatically choose the best path for packets transmition between radio and pseudo radio paths. 
• “Join” feature is applied in multiple-radio units where each radio interface would become a “wireless” neighbor of another one
• Ethernet-over-IP and IP-over-IP tunneling
• OSPF/Switch awareness of MINT and network structure and topology

Radio performance optimization

InfiNet Wireless proprietary WANFleX OS and MINT protocol feature various mechanisms ensuring reliable data transmitting over radio media:

• Autobitrate (dynamic modulation control). This mechanism automatically adjusts TX and RX bitrates for each unit to communicate with every unit’s neighbor individually thus providing a reliable and stable connection with no drop-offs. Autobitrate works individually for every neighbor of the unit. Not only signal levels are considered when making decision to switch to higher or lower bitrate but also working parameters such as number of errors and retries and general link stability on a certain bitrate
• Polling mechanism which can be enabled in any topology scenarios (also in multi-hop when dual-radio units are used) ensures a collision-free transmitting with a full control of Base Station or MESH repeater capacity. Polling can be fine-tuned using multiple parameters available in configuration.
• Unconditional prioritization for time-sensitive traffic (e.g. VoIP and video)
• Settings for adjusting minimal and maximal signal level thresholds for connecting neighbors

MINT for your mobility applications

MINT architecture can be used for applications required mobility such as in-car video surveillance, internet or local resources in-car browsing or Voice-over-IP applications. Powerful MINT mechanisms ensure milliseconds to none hand-off while moving and this has been tested at more than 160 km/h. In comparison with classical Point-to-Multipoint network structures MINT supports a full package of topologies, therefore allowing a mobile unit to be simultaneously connected to multiple units in the network is it a fixed unit or another vehicle, is it on one frequency band or different ones.

No doubt, when mobility is a part of the application, roaming capabilities are to be supported by mobile devices. InfiNet Wireless MINT protocol supports both frequency roaming allowing the unit to have multiple profiles describing various wireless network parameters (frequency, SID, channel width etc) and IP-roaming when unit might preserve its IP-address or get one dynamically. OSPF protocol is aware of MINT technology and will use MINT link costs in its own link-state calculations in order to minimize time for OSPF to converge. Built-in DHCP client, server and relay in every unit allow any unit of the network getting IP-address and other parameters.

Thanks to these mechanisms self-healing and self-organizing MINT will immediately react to any change in network topology and will rebuild its routes.

DFS and Radar detection functions are also supported.

Go Back...