[Feature Request]: Client-Fast

[MeshBamaMark]

Platform

NRF52, ESP32

Description

This request is based on the premise that the rebroadcast rate is as follows:

Client - Standard Rate
Router and Repeater - Fastest and the same rate

If this is the case, it would be nice to have a Client-Fast, that had a rebroadcast rate between the standard client and the Router/Repeater role.

Here is the thought process ...

Client used for non-mobile on top of houses and in trees
Client-Fast would be used in higher locations on towers and hills
Routers/Repeaters used only at the highest locations, and very few of them.

Thank you for your thoughts.

[vidplace7]

Doesn't ROUTER_LATE accomplish this already?

[MeshBamaMark]

Not sure. Doesn't it wait to go last ?

[GUVWAF]

Any CLIENT will be a fast client when they're likely to reach more nodes due to their location, since the delay is based on signal quality.
Indeed, as vidplace7 mentions, ROUTER_LATE might be a good candidate for this. It makes sure it always rebroadcasts once, whereas CLIENTs won't if they hear another doing so already.

[MeshBamaMark]

Well, Actually in this example, Packets from A, B & C have a higher (better) signal level going to D, due to the height. We have alot of instances like this in our area. That's why I was thinking the something like a Client-Fast (Page 2) would help.

[GUVWAF]

Even if C has the worst signal quality, when D is set to ROUTER_LATE it will transmit afterwards but not by decrementing the hop count yet another time. It will always use the hop limit of its first received packet. Node B will not rebroadcast, because it now already heard the packet twice.
So, the only redundant transmission now is the one from C. When introducing a CLIENT_FAST role, all normal clients should be delayed and that would cause additional latency. There also needs to be some window with different possibilities, since e.g. two CLIENT_FAST nodes should not transmit at exactly the same time. In my opinion this would not be worth it - your scenario seems like a perfect use case for ROUTER_LATE at node D.

[MeshBamaMark]

Thanks. One question. For Router_Late. Does it act like normal Router mode with the addition of the late transmit, or is more like a client with the late transmit.

[GUVWAF]

It acts like a CLIENT in terms of the initial delay. However, when it receives the same packet another time, a normal CLIENT would refrain from rebroadcasting again. ROUTER_LATE, on the other hand, will still transmit, but later. A ROUTER will always transmit very quickly, thereby overruling CLIENTs.

[MeshBamaMark]

Thanks .... Very Helpful