Routing performance of Wireless Mesh Networks: A practical evaluation of BATMAN advanced

The performance of Wireless Mesh Networks under realistic conditions is not well understood. Given the huge design and parameter space for these networks, all-encompassing performance evaluations are unfeasible. We follow a practical approach and perform a targeted, in-depth investigation of the current state of the BATMAN Advanced (batman-adv) protocol in a realistic office environment, using the thoroughly studied AODV protocol as a baseline. In particular, we study the reachability, packet loss, delay and throughput of the network. We identify the main parameters influencing the routing performance and demonstrate failure modes of the studied protocols.