M2-NET: An Integrated Access and Backhaul Millimeter-wave Wireless Network for Campus Connectivity and Research

Fig. Topology of envisioned M2-NET Infrastructure network on the West campus of George Mason University

M2-NET will build a one-of-its-kind large-scale, outdoor mmWave networking and sensing infrastructure that will include unlicensed mmWave 60 GHz multi-hop backhaul, mmWave and sub-6 GHz WiFi access, open-source sub-6 GHz cellular RAN, software radios and mmWave radar sensors. With its capability to provide high-speed low-latency connectivity, ubiquitous sensing, and end-to-end protocol integration, M2-NET will support over a dozen interdisciplinary research projects (such as immersive content delivery, hardening cybersecurity for mmWave networks and drones as first responders) across different departments and centers at Mason. M2-NET will be deployed through novel machine learning based propagation models specifically developed for establishing reliable mmWave links with minimal measurement overhead, along with a high-throughput low-latency topology design that can provide wire-like connectivity with reconfigurability and agility. The infrastructure will result in numerous wireless datasets which will be openly shared with the global research community. M2-NET will serve as the exemplar platform for the evaluation and testing of mmWave backhaul networks for large-scale rural/sub-urban networking deployments, and the potential of addressing the digital divide.

Find NSF abstract here.