System and method for collecting routing information in a mesh network

A computer readable medium comprising a computer program, the computer program comprising computer readable program code for:

• receiving a request to identify any communication paths associated with a first router in a mesh network;
• broadcasting the request to identify the communication paths;
• identifying one or more second routers that broadcast information received by the first router, the one or more identified second routers associated with one or more first communication paths directly visible to the first router;
• receiving at least one first response from at least one of the one or more second routers, the at least one first response containing at least one first entry, each first entry identifying one of the first communication paths visible to one of the one or more second routers, at least one first entry also identifying one or more second communication paths visible to at least one of the one or more second routers, each second communication path involving one second router and one of one or more third routers, the one or more third routers not directly visible to the first router;
• and
• broadcasting a second response at the first router, the second response combining the at least one first entry and a second entry, the second entry identifying the one or more first communication paths directly visible to the first router.

A mesh network, comprising:

• a plurality of routers configured to communicate with a plurality of user endpoints, each router configured to communicate with at least one other router over at least one communication path;
• and
• a central controller configured to broadcast a request to identify the communication paths in the mesh network;
• wherein a first router is further configured to:
• receive the request to identify the communication paths;
• broadcast the request to identify the communication paths;
• identify one or more second routers that broadcast information received by the first router;
• identify one or more first communication paths directly visible to the first router, the one or more identified second routers associated with the one or more first communication paths;
• receive at least one first response from at least one of the one or more second routers, the at least one first response containing at least one first entry, each first entry identifying one of the first communication paths visible to one of the one or more second routers, at least one first entry also identifying one or more second communication paths visible to at least one of the one or more second routers, each second communication path involving one second router and one of one or more third routers, the one or more third routers not directly visible to the first router;
• and
• broadcast a second response, the second response combining the at least one first entry and a second entry, the second entry identifying the one or more first communication paths directly visible to the first router.