802.11s MAC Functions 
=========================


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        **What are MAC functions in 802.11s?**

        MAC functions in 802.11s define how mesh devices handle frame forwarding, routing, and coordination at the Medium Access Control layer.

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        **How does 802.11s MAC support mesh forwarding?**

        The MAC layer forwards frames between mesh points using mesh routing protocols and peer-to-peer link management.

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        **What role does the MAC layer play in path selection?**

        The MAC layer interacts with the routing protocol (HWMP) to determine optimal paths for packet forwarding.

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        **How does MAC handle frame addressing in mesh?**

        MAC frames in 802.11s use additional address fields to support multi-hop mesh routing and forwarding.

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        **Does 802.11s MAC support power saving?**

        Yes, MAC incorporates mechanisms adapted for mesh operation to reduce power consumption of mesh points.

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        **What is the Mesh Control field in MAC frames?**

        It carries mesh-specific information such as TTL (Time To Live) and sequence numbers for frame management.

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        **How are broadcast and multicast handled at MAC?**

        MAC handles broadcast/multicast frames with special forwarding rules to propagate within the mesh efficiently.

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        **What is MAC-level fragmentation in 802.11s?**

        MAC fragmentation breaks large frames into smaller ones to ensure reliable delivery over mesh links.

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        **How does MAC manage link establishment?**

        MAC coordinates with peer mesh points for link setup, authentication, and maintenance.

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        **Are MAC retransmissions used in 802.11s?**

        Yes, the MAC layer supports retransmission of lost frames to improve reliability over multi-hop links.

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        **How is congestion managed at MAC?**

        MAC monitors medium usage and collaborates with routing to avoid congested paths.

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        **Does 802.11s MAC support QoS?**

        Yes, MAC integrates with 802.11e to prioritize mesh traffic based on QoS requirements.

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        **What is the MAC role in mesh peering?**

        MAC manages the peering relationship by exchanging mesh peering management frames.

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        **How does MAC handle frame sequence numbers?**

        MAC uses sequence numbers to detect duplicates and maintain frame order in the mesh.

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        **How are hidden nodes addressed by MAC?**

        MAC uses RTS/CTS handshaking and other techniques to reduce collisions caused by hidden nodes.

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        **What is the MAC's role in link metric measurement?**

        MAC collects link quality metrics such as signal strength and packet loss to aid routing decisions.

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        **How does MAC handle mesh network scalability?**

        MAC implements efficient forwarding and frame management to scale in large mesh deployments.

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        **Can MAC layer detect and handle routing loops?**

        MAC helps prevent routing loops using TTL fields and duplicate detection mechanisms.

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        **How does MAC interact with physical layer in 802.11s?**

        MAC works closely with PHY to adapt transmissions based on link conditions and perform rate control.


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        Topics in this section,

                * :ref:`Reference links <mac_functions_s_step17>`


.. _mac_functions_s_step17:

.. tab-set::

    .. tab-item:: Reference links

       * Reference links