How does mesh networking work, and why is it critical for disaster response?

The answer

Mesh networks allow devices to communicate by relaying data through each other rather than relying on centralized infrastructure like cell towers. Each device (or node) acts as both a receiver and transmitter, creating self-healing networks that reroute around failed nodes automatically. Apple's iPhone 14 and later models include satellite emergency SOS, while the goTenna Mesh device enables off-grid text communication up to 6.4 kilometers between nodes. During Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico (2017), mesh networks provided critical communication when 95% of cell towers were destroyed. The Meshtastic project, using cheap LoRa radio modules (under $30), has grown into a global open-source mesh network community. In 2024, Qualcomm introduced WiFi 7 mesh capabilities with multi-link operation, and Helium's blockchain-incentivized IoT mesh network surpassed one million hotspots worldwide. Military applications include DARPA's mobile ad-hoc networking programs for battlefield communications that cannot be disabled by destroying a single node.