Backbone network architecture and network management scheme for downhole wireless communications system

A method, comprising:

• establishing an acoustic communications network of acoustic modems communicatively interconnecting equipment and a control system, the acoustic modems deployed along a conduit;
• communicating acoustic signals to exchange messages between the control system and the equipment using a plurality of hops between the acoustic modems;
• in response to a change in a noise condition in the acoustic communications network, changing the number of hops used to communicate messages between the control system and the equipment;
• and
• communicating messages between the control system and the equipment using the changed number of hops.

A communication system for communicating with downhole components in a wellbore, comprising:

• a control system to exchange messages with the downhole components to control performance of a downhole operation;
• a plurality of first wireless modems axially spaced along a tubing deployed in the wellbore to transmit wireless signals to communicate the messages between the control system and the downhole components during performance of the downhole operation, the first wireless modems including repeater modems;
• a cluster of second wireless modems positioned proximate a first location along the tubing and communicatively coupled to the first wireless modems, the second wireless modems including a hub modem and a plurality of end nodes interfaced to a corresponding downhole component;
• and
• a network management system to adapt selection of particular repeater modems of the first wireless modems to communicate messages between the control system and the downhole components.