Abstract:
Nowadays, network technologies are developing very rapidly. The growing volume of
transmitted information (video, data, VoIP, etc.), the physical growth of networks, and inter-network
traffic are forcing manufacturers to produce more powerful and ‘‘smart’’ devices that use new methods of
transferring and sorting data. Such connected smart devices (IoT) are used in intelligently controlled traffic
for self-driving vehicles in Vehicle Adhoc Networks (VANET), in electricity and water in smart cities, and
in-home automation in smart homes. These types of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices are used to
leverage different types of network structures. Such IoT sensor devices can be deployed as a wireless sensor
network (WSN) in a mesh topology. Both WSNs and Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) are easy to organize
as well as to deploy. In this case, there are many reasons for combining these different types of networks.
In particular, the detailed sensory capabilities of sensor networks may be improved by increasing bandwidth,
reliability and power consumption in the mesh topology. However, there are currently only a handful of
studies devoting to integrate these two different types of networks. In addition, there is no systematic review
of existing interconnection methods. That is why in this article we explore the existing methods of these
two networks and provide an analytical basis for their relationship. We introduce the definition of WSN and
WMN and then look at some case studies. Afterward, we present several challenges and opportunities in the
area of combined Wireless Mesh Sensor Network (WMSN) followed by a discussion on this interconnection
through literature review and hope that this document will attract the attention of the community and inspire
further research in this direction.
