Minimum Cost Routing Based on Network Coding in Wireless Mesh Networks

Wireless mesh networks can significantly improve the transmission performance of multi-hop links by using network coding. Thus, a minimum cost routing protocol of wireless mesh networks based on network coding in multicast communications is presented. This paper introduced the conceptions of key nodes and super-key nodes, and the corresponding selection algorithm. This protocol judges its routing by whether the next hop nodes are super-key nodes or key nodes. The next hop routing nodes select super-key nodes as a priority, followed by the key nodes and then the general nodes as the last choice. It can increase network coding opportunities and achieve minimum cost routing. Simulation results show that this protocol can support network coding better while achieving the maximum flow of multicast, which significantly reduce the routing costs.