Systems and methods for enhanced mesh networking

A method comprising:

• determining, by a first access point (AP) device of a local area network (LAN), a first path from the first AP device to a gateway of the LAN, wherein the first path comprises a first set of wireless links via one or more forwarding devices between the first AP device and the gateway, wherein the first path comprises at least one wired link between two respective devices in the first path;
• determining, by the first AP device, a second path from the AP device to the gateway, wherein the second path comprises a second set of wireless links via one or more forwarding devices between the first AP and the gateway;
• determining, by the first AP device, a first throughput metric of a first wireless link between the first AP device and a first forwarding device in the first set;
• determining, by the first AP device, a first channel utilization metric of the first wireless link;
• determining, by the first AP device, a first link metric of the first wireless link using the first throughput metric and the first channel utilization metric;
• determining, by the first AP device, a first path cost of the first path as a first cumulative sum of the first link metric, a link metric of each of the other wireless links in the first path, and a link metric of the at least one wired link in the first path;
• determining, by the first AP device, a second path cost of the second path;
• receiving, by the first AP device, data from a client device;
• determining, by the first AP device, that the first path cost is less than the second path cost;
• and
• sending, by the first AP device, the data to the gateway via the first path.

An access point (AP) device of a local area network (LAN), the AP device comprising:

• a memory device to store instructions;
• a radio;
• and
• a processor coupled to the radio and the memory device, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• determine a first path from the AP device to a gateway of the LAN, wherein the first path comprises a first set of wireless links via one or more forwarding devices between the AP device and the gateway, wherein the first path comprises at least one wired link between two respective devices in the first path;
• determine a second path from the AP device to the gateway, wherein the second path comprises a second set of wireless links via one or more forwarding devices between the first AP and the gateway;
• determine a first throughput metric of a first wireless link between the AP device and a first forwarding device in the first set;
• determine a first channel utilization metric of the first wireless link;
• determine a first link metric of the first wireless link using the first throughput metric and the first channel utilization metric;
• determine a first path cost of the first path as a first cumulative sum of the first link metric, a link metric of each of the other wireless links in the first path, and a link metric of the at least one wired link in the first path;
• determine a second path cost of the second path;
• receive data from a client device;
• determine that the first path cost is less than the second path cost;
• and
• send the data to the gateway via the first path.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first access point (AP) device of a local area network (LAN) cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• determining a first path from the first AP device to a gateway of the LAN, wherein the first path comprises a first set of wireless links via one or more forwarding devices between the first AP device and the gateway, wherein the first path comprises at least one wired link between two respective devices in the first path;
• determining a second path from the AP device to the gateway, wherein the second path comprises a second set of wireless links via one or more forwarding devices between the first AP and the gateway;
• determining a first throughput metric of a first wireless link between the first AP device and a first forwarding device in the first set;
• determining a first channel utilization metric of the first wireless link;
• determining a first link metric of the first wireless link using the first throughput metric and the first channel utilization metric;
• determining a first path cost of the first path as a first cumulative sum of the first link metric, a link metric of each of the other wireless links in the first path, and a link metric of the at least one wired link in the first path;
• determining a second path cost of the second path;
• receiving data from a client device;
• determining that the first path cost is less than the second path cost;
• and
• sending the data to the gateway via the first path.