A system for fault-tolerant communication includes N nodes, out of which one is a gateway node, and N data links, each data link connecting two of the nodes, forming a ring structure. At least two of the data links are wireless data links. The system substantially do not use one of the wireless data links to send data, effectively partitioning the ring structure into a first chain and a second chain. The system sends data downstream direction and upstream direction, through the first and second chains. The system detaches at least one node from the first chain, by substantially stop using a wireless data link having a reduction in performance and belonging to the first chain, and connects the at least one node to the second chain by starting to use the wireless data link that was substantially not in use.