The invention includes an apparatus and method for determining an optimal route based upon path quality of routes to an access node of a wireless mesh network. The method includes receiving routing packets at the access node through at least one wireless route. Each routing packet includes route information that identifies the wireless route of the routing packet. A success ratio of a number of successfully received routing packets versus a number of transmitted routing packets is determined over a period of time T1, for each wireless route. The wireless route having a greatest success ratio is first selected, as are other wireless routes that have success ratios within a predetermined amount of the greatest success ratio.