Multi-hop routing

File:WSN.svg architecture]]

File:XO internet access.jpg architecture allowing otherwise out-of-range nodes 1–4 to still connect to the Internet. A key characteristic is the presence of multiple-hop links and using intermediate nodes to relay packets for others.]]

Multi-hop routing (or multihop routing) is a type of communication in radio networks in which network coverage area is larger than radio range of single nodes. Therefore, to reach some destination a node can use other nodes as relays.{{cite web|last1=Pešović|first1=Uroš M.|last2=Mohorko|first2=Jože J.|last3=Benkič|first3=Karl|last4=Čučej|first4=Žarko F.|title=Single-hop vs. Multi-hop – Energy efficiency analysis in wireless sensor networks|url=http://2010.telfor.rs/files/radovi/TELFOR2010_03_42.pdf|publisher=Telekomunikacioni forum TELFOR 2010|accessdate=2 June 2017|location=Srbija, Beograd|pages=471–474|date=23–25 November 2010}}

Since the transceiver is the major source of power consumption in a radio node and long distance transmission requires high power, in some cases multi-hop routing can be more energy efficient than single-hop routing.{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Szymon |last2=Collier |first2=Martin |title=On the problem of energy efficiency of multi-hop vs one-hop routing in Wireless Sensor Networks |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/11309673.pdf |publisher=21st International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications Workshops (AINAW'07) |date=2007 |access-date=2 June 2017 }}

Typical applications of multi-hop routing:

• Wireless sensor networks
• Wireless mesh networks
• Mobile ad hoc networks
• Smart phone ad hoc networks
• Mobile networks with stationary multi-hop relays