Wi-Fi/BPL Dual Mode Repeaters for Power Line Networks

A node in a power line network, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a message from a first power line segment of the power line network;
• detecting an interruption in the power line network;
• in response to detecting the interruption in the power line network, comparing a transmission characteristic of a transmission of the message via a first connection type and a transmission characteristic of a transmission of the message via a second connection type;
• and
• transmitting the message to a second power line segment of the power line network via one of the first connection type and the second connection type based on the comparing of the transmission characteristic of the transmission of the message via the first connection type and the transmission characteristic of the transmission of the message via the second connection type.

A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a message from a first power line segment of a power line network;
• detecting an interruption in the power line network;
• in response to detecting the interruption in the power line network, comparing a transmission characteristic of a transmission of the message via a first connection type and a transmission characteristic of a transmission of the message via a second connection type;
• and
• transmitting the message, from the first power line segment to a second power line segment of the power line network, via one of the first connection type and the second connection type based on the comparing of the transmission characteristic of the transmission of the message via the first connection type and the transmission characteristic of the transmission of the message via the second connection type.