some embodiments of the invention provide an implementation for a multi - hop wireless backhaul network . these embodiments can advantageously be deployed in dense urban areas and / or co - located with wireless access nodes , such as base - stations of a cellular wireless communication system . preferably wireless links between constituent network nodes are set - up hierarchically . a basic result of this is that peer - to - peer communication is generally prohibited and circuits are forced to conform to a topology . the multi - hop wireless backhaul network may be used to carry delay sensitive , high - density last mile circuit traffic over non - line - of - sight broadband radio links . moreover , some embodiments of the invention provide a method of path - healing for re - routing of circuit traffic from circuits that have experienced catastrophic failures .