Apparatus and methods for point-to-point links in robust networks

A method of operating a network device to provide redundancy in a network, the network device comprising a plurality of ports, wherein the plurality of ports includes at least a first port configured to form a primary link to a first other network device and a second port configured to form a point-to-point wireless link to a second other network device, the method comprising periodically transmitting a keep-alive control packet over the point-to-point wireless link to the second other network device, detecting whether the primary link is indicated to be down, and when the primary link is indicated to be down, then flushing a routing table of the network device, learning new routes, sending a specifically-designated packet over the point-to-point wireless link to the second other network device, and receiving in return a route teaching packet in broadcast form from the second other device over the point-to-point wireless link, wherein each said route teaching packet instructs other network devices to change their address tables such that certain packets will follow a path through the point-to-point wireless link.