Mikrolainet

Mikrolainet is a term used to describe small-scale, self-contained computer networks designed for local, limited geographic areas. These networks are typically composed of tens to a few hundred interconnected devices and are built to be low-cost, energy-efficient, and relatively easy to deploy in environments with limited infrastructure.

Scope and scale: Mikrolainet networks aim to cover a local area such as a building, campus, neighborhood, or disaster zone. They rely on decentralized or semi-decentralized control and often employ mesh topologies to maintain connectivity even when individual nodes fail.

Architecture: A mikrolainet usually includes end devices (sensors, actuators, user devices), edge routers or gateways, and a management plane. The network is often self-organizing, with dynamic routing and self-healing properties enabled by mesh protocols.

Technologies: Common wireless technologies used in mikrolainets include Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi‑Fi HaLow, and LoRa. Routing protocols may feature mesh routing (OLSR, AODV, RPL) or application-layer routing in constrained networks. Emphasis is on low power consumption and simple maintenance.

Use cases: Mikrolainets are used for smart buildings, campus sensor networks, rural or underserved community networks, temporary event connectivity, and emergency response scenarios where traditional infrastructure is unavailable or costly.

Deployment considerations: Practical factors include spectrum regulation, interference management, security and privacy, device provisioning, scalability limits, and maintenance. The term is not standardized in international networking literature and may be used variably in different contexts.