Systems and methods for facilitating wireless network communication, satellite-based wireless network systems, and aircraft-based wireless network systems, and related methods

In a network including a server node having a server radio modem and a server controller which implements a server process that includes controlling the server node to receive and transmit data packets via said server node to other nodes in the network, a client node comprising:

• a client node radio modem;
• and
• a client node controller;
• said client node controller configured to implement a client node process comprising:
• receiving and transmitting data packets via said client modem;
• selecting a radio transmission path to said server node that is one of a direct link to said server node and an indirect link to said server node through at least one other client node and;
• updating said radio transmission path in response to transmission path data received from said server node.

A wireless network system comprising:

• a server including a server controller and a server radio modem, said server controller implementing a server process that includes the control of said server radio modem, said server process including the receipt and transmission of data packets via said server radio modem;
• a plurality of clients each including a client controller and a client radio modem, said client controller implementing a client process that includes the control of said client radio modem, said client process including the receipt and transmission of data packets via said client radio modem, wherein said client process of each of said clients initiates and selects a radio transmission path to said server that is one of a direct link to said server and an indirect link to said server through at least one of the remainder of said plurality of clients;
• and
• wherein said client process updates said selected radio transmission path to said server in response to transmission path data received from said server.

A method for providing wireless network communication comprising the steps of:

• a server process including a data packet reception step, a data packet transmission step, a network communication step, and a housekeeping step;
• and
• a plurality of clients each providing a client process including data sending and receiving step, a send and receive data buffer maintenance step, a link update step in response to link data received from a server, and a link selection step that is one of a direct link to said server and an indirect link to said server through at least one of the remainder of said plurality of clients;
• and
• wherein said selected link to said server is a link utilizing the least number of other clients.