Public-Mesh-Research-Report.md

@@ -19,9 +19,12 @@ The base layer of any mesh networking protocol is the individual direct connecti
 
 ### Test Devices
 
+The following devices were used for testing one or more transport layers:
+
 | Device Name | Android Version | API level |
 |-------------|-----------------|-----------|
 | Alcatel A3 XL (TCL 9008X) | 7.0 | 24 |
+| Google Pixel 3A | 12 (CalyxOS) | 31 |
 | Honor 8A (JAT-L29) | 9 (EMUI 9.1.0) | 28 |
 | Huawei P8 Lite 2015 (ALE-L21) | 5.0.1 (EMUI 3.1) | 21 |
 | Huawei P8 Lite 2017 (PRA-LX1) | 7.0 (EMUI 5.0.1) | 24 |
@@ -32,7 +35,9 @@ The base layer of any mesh networking protocol is the individual direct connecti
 | Motorola Moto G 4G (XT1039) | 5.1 | 22 |
 | Motorola Moto G10 | 11 | 30 |
 | Nokia 1.3 | 11 (Android Go) | 30 |
+| OnePlus 5T (A5010) | 10 | 29 |
 | Redmi Note 7 | 10 (MIUI 12.5.1) | 29 |
+| Redmi Note 10 5G | 11 (MIUI 12) | 30 |
 | Samsung Galaxy A10s (SM-A107F/DS) | 11 (One UI Core 3.1) | 30 |
 | Samsung Galaxy A21s (SM-A217F/DSN) | 12 (One UI Core 4.1) | 31 |
 | Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 (SM-J510FN) | 7.1.1 (Samsung Experience 8.5) | 25 |
@@ -359,6 +364,45 @@ Once peers are discovered, a normal TCP connection can be made with the `HOST:PO
 
 #### Notes
 
+### Ad Hoc Mode
+
+The original Wi-Fi standard defines two modes of operation: infrastructure mode, in which stations communicate via an access point, and ad hoc mode, in which stations communicate directly with each other. Ad hoc mode could potentially be useful for creating smartphone-based mesh networks.
+
+Unfortunately this mode has never gained traction among implementers of the standard: not all chipsets support ad hoc mode, and there is no Android API for accessing this mode, even if the chipset supports it.
+
+### Wi-Fi Aware (Neighbor Awareness Networking)
+
+Wi-Fi Aware is a relatively recent addition to the Wi-Fi standard that has some similarities to ad hoc mode and Wi-Fi Direct. Devices can discover and connect to other nearby devices, and can advertise and discover services, without the need for an access point.
+
+Compared to Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Aware is designed to enable continuous, low-power discovery of nearby devices.
+
+* https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-aware
+* https://www.wi-fi.org/download.php?file=/sites/default/files/private/Wi-Fi%20Aware%20Specification%20v4.0.pdf
+
+Android provides and API for Wi-Fi Aware on API levels 26 and later, if the hardware supports it:
+
+https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/connectivity/wifi-aware.html
+
+We tested several devices to see whether the Wi-Fi Aware API was supported:
+
+| Device Name | Android Version | API Level | Wi-Fi Aware |
+| ----------- | --------------- | --------- | ----------- |
+| Google Pixel 3A | 12 (CalyxOS) | 31 | Yes |
+| Huawei Y6P (MED-LX9N) | 10 (EMUI 10.1.0) | 29 | No |
+| Motorola Moto E6 Play (XT2029-2) | 9 | 28 | No |
+| Nokia 1.3 | 11 (Android Go) | 30 | No |
+| OnePlus 5T (A5010) | 10 | 29 | No |
+| Redmi Note 7 | 10 (MIUI 12.5.1) | 29 | No |
+| Redmi Note 10 5G | 11 (MIUI 12) | 30 | No |
+| Samsung A10s (SM-A107F/DS) | 11 (One UI Core 3.1) | 30 | No |
+| Sony XZ2 (H8216) | 10 | 29 | No |
+
+These results suggest that Wi-Fi Aware is not useful for creating smartphone-based mesh networks at present, due to the small number of devices implementing the standard. It may become suitable in future if widely implemented in smartphones.
+
+The following list of Wi-Fi Aware certified devices may be useful for determining whether the standard is becoming widely implemented:
+
+https://www.wi-fi.org/product-finder-results?sort_by=certified&sort_order=desc&certifications=757
+
 ## Alternative Transports
 
 ### OuiSync