Mobile ad hoc peer-to-peer networking was originally created for the U.S. military. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued a proposal to create an ad hoc wireless network with the following characteristics:

• Broadband data rates
• End-to-end IP support
• Support for voice and video
• Built-in position location (without GPS)
• Support for vehicular mobility up to 250 mph

The concept called for a robust and secure broadband data network to be instantly created on the battlefield, even where no infrastructure was available. In order to accomplish this, the intelligence that typically resides in the wireless base station had to reside within each client device.

Several prominent defense contractors developed systems that attempted to meet some or all of these requirements. ITT Industries developed the only working prototypes with the ability to meet all the requirements and was awarded the contract to complete the development of the battlefield system.

In early 2000, ITT granted an exclusive license to commercialize its technology to a Motorola partner company that engineered and productized this technology into the MN2064A Digital ASIC and MEA/QDMA Mobile Broadband Networking Products. Motorola completely integrated the technologies into its Public Safety portfolio after an acquisition of the partner organization.

Motorola engineers leveraged WiFi developments and other wireless broadband technologies to develop MOTOMESH Quattro, a multi-radio broadband radio solution that provides a municipality with dedicated networks for Public Safety, Public Works and Public Access. 

The Internet (which itself is a meshed architecture) has proven that mesh networking is the best and so far the only proven way to build scalable broadband networks. Packets can be routed around bottlenecks and failed nodes to maintain reliable and high bandwidth end-to-end connections.