Optimization of Wireless Mesh Networks for Disaster Response Communication

Abstract

Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) have emerged as a resilient and adaptable solution for disaster response communication, offering self-healing and self-organizing capabilities that ensure uninterrupted connectivity in emergency scenarios. Traditional communication infrastructures often fail due to network congestion, power outages, and physical damage during disasters, necessitating an optimized approach for rapid and reliable data transmission. This study presents an AI-optimized WMN framework aimed at enhancing network performance by improving packet delivery ratio (PDR), reducing end-to-end delay, optimizing energy consumption, increasing network throughput, and strengthening security. Simulations conducted in MATLAB Simulink compare the performance of AI-optimized routing with conventional protocols such as AODV (Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector) and OLSR (Optimized Link State Routing). Results demonstrate that AI-optimized routing achieves a 15.5% higher PDR, 43% lower delay, 49% increased throughput, and 30% reduced energy consumption compared to traditional approaches. Furthermore, an AI-driven Intrusion Detection System (IDS) improves network security by increasing attack detection accuracy to 94.6% while reducing false positive rates to 5.2%. The findings highlight the significance of AI-based routing optimization in disaster scenarios, ensuring robust, energy-efficient, and secure communication for first responders and affected communities. Future research will explore hybrid AI-blockchain security mechanisms, 5G and satellite network integration, and real-world experimental validation to further enhance WMN resilience in extreme disaster conditions.