Methods and apparatus for direct routing between nodes of networks

A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

• calculate a logical distance for sending communication between a first zone player and a destination zone player via a mesh network configured according to a spanning tree protocol, wherein the logical distance is defined by a bridge table configured according to the spanning tree protocol, the bridge table defining a communication path in the mesh network between the first zone player and the destination zone player for sending the communication;
• determine a direct link in the mesh network to send the communication between the first zone player and the destination zone player;
• determine a wireless signal strength of the direct link between the first zone player and the destination zone player;
• in response to calculating that the logical distance for sending the communication between the first zone player and the destination zone player is greater than one and determining that the wireless signal strength satisfies a threshold, enable transmission of the communication from the first zone player to the destination zone player via the direct link by overriding the communication path in the mesh network defined by the bridge table, the bridge table configured according to the spanning tree protocol;
• and
• in response to calculating that the logical distance for the communication is one or determining that the wireless signal strength does not satisfy the threshold, enable transmission of the communication from the first zone player to the destination zone player via the communication path in the mesh network defined by the bridge table.

A media zone player device, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor which cause the processor to:
• determine whether a configuration data structure of the media zone player device indicates that a port is linked to a destination address of a data packet received via a mesh network, the mesh network configured according to a spanning tree protocol, wherein the configuration data structure further comprises a bridge table configured according to the spanning tree protocol, the bridge table defining a communication path in the mesh network between the media zone player and a second media zone player;
• determine whether the data packet is a next hop packet based on the communication path in the mesh network defined by the bridge table;
• based on the determinations that the port is linked to the destination address and the data packet is not a next hop packet override the communication path in the mesh network defined by the bridge table, the bridge table configured according to the spanning tree protocol, wherein the overriding the communication path enables a direct routing of the data packet from the media zone player device to the second media zone player device and
• based on the determination that the data packet is the next hop packet, following the communication path in the mesh network defined by the bridge table to send the data packet from the media zone player device to the second media zone player device.