Techniques to create, update, disseminate, and use dynamic subset backhaul channel lists in a mesh network

An apparatus comprising:

• a hardware network interface unit to communicate with access points (APs) including mesh access points (MAPs) and one or more root APs (RAPs) of a mesh network that are collectively assigned to different AP groups, each RAP having a wired connection to the controller and configured to form a root of a tree in which the MAPs of a given group are linked back to the RAP of that group through parent-child connections over wireless backhaul channels;
• a processor coupled to the network interface unit, to:
• for each group, create a distinct subset channel list that identifies a subset of a full set of regulatory domain backhaul channels assigned to or actually used by RAPs of the group that are connected to the controller;
• for each group, update the subset channel list as RAPs assigned to the group connect with and disconnect from the controller;
• and
• for each group, send the subset channel list to the MAPs assigned to the group that are connected with the controller through respective RAPs when the subset channel list is created and updated, and that roam between parent APs in the group,
• wherein the respective subset channel list that is sent to each MAP in each group identifies the only backhaul channels to be searched by the MAP, instead of the full set of regulatory domain backhaul channels, for a respective new parent AP in the group if the respective MAP loses a backhaul connection to an initial parent AP in the group.

A system comprising:

• a controller implemented on a hardware platform;
• a plurality of access points (APs) of a mesh network configured to be connected to and controlled by the controller, the APs including mesh access points (MAPs) and one or more root APs (RAPs) that are collectively assigned to different AP groups, each RAP having a wired connection to the controller and configured to form a root of a tree in which the MAPs of a given group are linked back to the RAP of that group through parent-child connections over wireless backhaul channels;
• wherein the controller:
• for each group, creates a distinct subset channel list that identifies a subset of a full set of regulatory domain backhaul channels used by RAPs of the group that are connected to the controller;
• for each group, updates the subset channel list as RAPs assigned to the group connect with and disconnect from the controller;
• and
• for each group, sends the created and updated subset channel list to the MAPs assigned to the group that are connected with the controller through respective RAPs, and that roam between parent APs in the group;
• and
• wherein each MAP assigned to a given group is configured to:
• initially connects with the controller through a wireless backhaul channel connection to an initial parent AP;
• receives the subset channel list for the given group from the controller through the initial parent AP;
• if the MAP loses the backhaul channel connection to the initial parent AP, searches only the backhaul channels on the subset channel list for a new parent AP, instead of performing a search of all regulatory domain backhaul channels;
• and
• connects with a found parent AP based on results of the searching the subset channel list.