Regular mesh topologies in local and metropolitan area networks.

The throughput per user in loop and bus configured local area networks decrease linearly with the number of users. These networks cannot be extended to a metropolitan area with many users. A class of mesh networks is described that increases the throughput of conventional local area networks by decreasing the fraction of the network capacity needed to transmit information between a source and destination. These networks have multiple paths that increase the reliability of the networks, and have point to point links that can cover a metropolitan area.