Streamlined creation and expansion of a wireless mesh network

An apparatus for a wireless mesh network, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:
• communicate with a user device via an 802.11 wireless communication interface;
• communicate with at least one other mesh device of the wireless mesh network via the 802.11 wireless communication interface;
• detect a condition associated with a mesh portal of the wireless mesh network, wherein the condition comprises at least one of:
• a failure of the mesh portal, an error rate that meets or exceeds a threshold level, an increased collision rate, or a measure of congestion that reaches a threshold level;
• and
• assume functions of the mesh portal responsive to detecting the condition associated with the mesh portal.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor at a computing device, cause the computing device to:

• organize information associated with a set of wireless devices;
• generate a profile for configuring the set of wireless devices into a wireless mesh network;
• send registration information to a cloud management system, wherein the registration information identifies the computing device and each wireless device of the set of wireless devices;
• and
• receive a message from the cloud management system indicating that the wireless mesh network has been registered.