System and method for convergence and automatic disabling of access points in a wireless mesh network

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor residing within a node of a mesh network, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

• evaluating at least one network metric associated with the mesh network;
• determining that the at least one network metric indicates that a network connection to connect the node as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on;
• waiting for a delay period proportionate to a routing cost within the network;
• re-evaluating the at least one network metric after the delay period has elapsed;
• confirming that the at least one network metric still indicates that the network connection to connect the node as an access point to the mesh network should be turned on;
• and
• in response, turning on the network connection to connect the node as an access point to the mesh network.

A computer-implemented method for disconnecting as an access point to a mesh network, by performing the steps of:

• determining a routing cost within the mesh network is favorable;
• determining that the hop count associated with a first access point is favorable;
• determining that the traffic utilization associated with the first access point is favorable;
• waiting for a delay period;
• after the delay period has elapsed, determining that the routing cost is still favorable, that the hop count is still favorable, and that the traffic utilization associated with the first access point is still favorable;
• and
• turning off a connection to disconnect the first access point from the network.