Graph-based Deep Learning for Communication Networks: A Survey
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Abstract (arXiv)
Communication networks are important infrastructures in contemporary society. There are still many challenges that are not fully solved and new solutions are proposed continuously in this active research area. In recent years, to model the network topology, graph-based deep learning has achieved the state-of-the-art performance in a series of problems in communication networks. In this survey, we review the rapidly growing body of research using different graph-based deep learning models, e.g. graph convolutional and graph attention networks, in various problems from different types of communication networks, e.g. wireless networks, wired networks, and software defined networks. We also present a well-organized list of the problem and solution for each study and identify future research directions. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first survey that focuses on the application of graph-based deep learning methods in communication networks involving both wired and wireless scenarios. To track the follow-up research, a public GitHub repository is created, where the relevant papers will be updated continuously.
Key facts. Cited by 21 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 57 of its 131 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 4 Jun 2021.
Builds on
57 of 131 references.
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50 most cited of 57 All 57 (JSON)
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Citing papers per year: 2021: 2; 2022: 2; 2023: 4; 2024: 3; 2025: 7; 2026: 3.
21 papers.
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- 2021Graph-based Solutions with Residuals for Intrusion Detection: the Modified E-GraphSAGE and E-ResGAT Algorithmscited by 11
- 2023Over-the-Air Federated Learning and Optimizationcited by 10
- 2022Graph Neural Networks Meet Wireless Communications: Motivation, Applications, and Future Directionscited by 8
- 2024Faithful Interpretation for Graph Neural Networkscited by 3
- 2024Hybrid variable spiking graph neural networks for energy-efficient scientific machine learningcited by 3
- 2025Cellular Traffic Prediction via Deep State Space Models with Attention Mechanismcited by 3
- 2021GNN-Geo: A Graph Neural Network-based Fine-grained IP geolocation Frameworkcited by 2
- 2023Model Inversion Attacks on Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Graph Neural Networkscited by 2
- 2024Edge Graph Intelligence: Reciprocally Empowering Edge Networks with Graph Intelligencecited by 2
- 2025Graph Your Own Promptcited by 2
- 2025Multi-Relation Graph-Kernel Strengthen Network for Graph-Level Clusteringcited by 1
- 2025RELiQ: Scalable Entanglement Routing via Reinforcement Learning in Quantum Networkscited by 1
9 more
- 2026An Empirical Survey and Benchmark of Learned Distance Indexes for Road Networkscited by 1
- 2022Network Calculus with Flow Prolongation -- A Feedforward FIFO Analysis enabled by MLcited by 0
- 2023BS-GAT Behavior Similarity Based Graph Attention Network for Network Intrusion Detectioncited by 0
- 2023Data-driven Intra-Autonomous Systems Graph Generatorcited by 0
- 2025Trajectory Encoding Temporal Graph Networkscited by 0
- 2025Semantic-Aware Visual Information Transmission With Key Information Extraction Over Wireless Networkscited by 0
- 2025Graph Structure Learning with Temporal Graph Information Bottleneck for Inductive Representation Learningcited by 0
- 2026iSatCR: Graph-Empowered Joint Onboard Computing and Routing for LEO Data Deliverycited by 0
- 2026From Simulation to Deep Learning: Survey on Network Performance Modeling Approachescited by 0
- 2026From Simulation to Deep Learning: Survey on Network Performance Modeling Approaches30 Mar 2026
- 2026iSatCR: Graph-Empowered Joint Onboard Computing and Routing for LEO Data Delivery19 Mar 2026
- 2026An Empirical Survey and Benchmark of Learned Distance Indexes for Road Networks3 Feb 2026
- 2025RELiQ: Scalable Entanglement Routing via Reinforcement Learning in Quantum Networks27 Nov 2025
- 2025Graph Your Own Prompt27 Sep 2025
- 2025Graph Structure Learning with Temporal Graph Information Bottleneck for Inductive Representation Learning20 Aug 2025
- 2025Semantic-Aware Visual Information Transmission With Key Information Extraction Over Wireless Networks15 Jun 2025
- 2025Cellular Traffic Prediction via Deep State Space Models with Attention Mechanism26 May 2025
- 2025Trajectory Encoding Temporal Graph Networks15 Apr 2025
- 2025Multi-Relation Graph-Kernel Strengthen Network for Graph-Level Clustering2 Apr 2025
- 2024Hybrid variable spiking graph neural networks for energy-efficient scientific machine learning12 Dec 2024
- 2024Faithful Interpretation for Graph Neural Networks9 Oct 2024
9 more
- 2024Edge Graph Intelligence: Reciprocally Empowering Edge Networks with Graph Intelligence7 Jul 2024
- 2023Over-the-Air Federated Learning and Optimization16 Oct 2023
- 2023Model Inversion Attacks on Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Graph Neural Networks15 Oct 2023
- 2023Data-driven Intra-Autonomous Systems Graph Generator9 Aug 2023
- 2023BS-GAT Behavior Similarity Based Graph Attention Network for Network Intrusion Detection7 Apr 2023
- 2022Graph Neural Networks Meet Wireless Communications: Motivation, Applications, and Future Directions8 Dec 2022
- 2022Network Calculus with Flow Prolongation -- A Feedforward FIFO Analysis enabled by ML7 Feb 2022
- 2021GNN-Geo: A Graph Neural Network-based Fine-grained IP geolocation Framework18 Dec 2021
- 2021Graph-based Solutions with Residuals for Intrusion Detection: the Modified E-GraphSAGE and E-ResGAT Algorithms26 Nov 2021
- 2021Graph-based Solutions with Residuals for Intrusion Detection: the Modified E-GraphSAGE and E-ResGAT Algorithmscited by 11
- 2023Over-the-Air Federated Learning and Optimizationcited by 10
- 2022Graph Neural Networks Meet Wireless Communications: Motivation, Applications, and Future Directionscited by 8
- 2024Faithful Interpretation for Graph Neural Networkscited by 3
- 2024Hybrid variable spiking graph neural networks for energy-efficient scientific machine learningcited by 3
- 2025Cellular Traffic Prediction via Deep State Space Models with Attention Mechanismcited by 3
- 2021GNN-Geo: A Graph Neural Network-based Fine-grained IP geolocation Frameworkcited by 2
- 2023Model Inversion Attacks on Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Graph Neural Networkscited by 2
- 2024Edge Graph Intelligence: Reciprocally Empowering Edge Networks with Graph Intelligencecited by 2
- 2025Graph Your Own Promptcited by 2
- 2025Multi-Relation Graph-Kernel Strengthen Network for Graph-Level Clusteringcited by 1
- 2025RELiQ: Scalable Entanglement Routing via Reinforcement Learning in Quantum Networkscited by 1
12 most cited of 21 All 21 (JSON)
- 2026From Simulation to Deep Learning: Survey on Network Performance Modeling Approaches30 Mar 2026
- 2026iSatCR: Graph-Empowered Joint Onboard Computing and Routing for LEO Data Delivery19 Mar 2026
- 2026An Empirical Survey and Benchmark of Learned Distance Indexes for Road Networks3 Feb 2026
- 2025RELiQ: Scalable Entanglement Routing via Reinforcement Learning in Quantum Networks27 Nov 2025
- 2025Graph Your Own Prompt27 Sep 2025
- 2025Graph Structure Learning with Temporal Graph Information Bottleneck for Inductive Representation Learning20 Aug 2025
- 2025Semantic-Aware Visual Information Transmission With Key Information Extraction Over Wireless Networks15 Jun 2025
- 2025Cellular Traffic Prediction via Deep State Space Models with Attention Mechanism26 May 2025
- 2025Trajectory Encoding Temporal Graph Networks15 Apr 2025
- 2025Multi-Relation Graph-Kernel Strengthen Network for Graph-Level Clustering2 Apr 2025
- 2024Hybrid variable spiking graph neural networks for energy-efficient scientific machine learning12 Dec 2024
- 2024Faithful Interpretation for Graph Neural Networks9 Oct 2024
12 newest of 21 All 21 (JSON)