A method, comprising: receiving, by an apparatus, one or more first synchronization messages from a first wireless device transmitting synchronization messages, the first synchronization message including a NAN -Neighbor Awareness Network- identifier indicating that the first wireless device belongs to a neighbor awareness network, a cluster ID -IDentifier- indicating that the first wireless device belongs to a first neighbor awareness network cluster, a first hop count value indicating hops to a first anchor master in the first neighbor awareness network cluster and information describing a first master rank value of the first anchor master, the first synchronization message having a first signal level; receiving, by the apparatus, one or more second synchronization messages from a second wireless device transmitting synchronization messages, the second synchronization message including the NAN identifier indicating that the second wireless device belongs to a neighbor awareness network, a cluster ID indicating that the second wireless device belongs to a second neighbor awareness network cluster, a second hop count value indicating hops to a second anchor master in the second neighbor awareness network cluster and information describing a second master rank value of the second anchor master, the second synchronization message having a second signal level; comparing, by the apparatus, the first and second master rank values; and selecting, by the apparatus, the neighbor awareness network cluster corresponding to the synchronization message having the greater master rank value if the signal level of the synchronization message exceeds a predefined threshold signal level. receiving, by an apparatus, one or more first synchronization messages from a first wireless device transmitting synchronization messages, the first synchronization message including a NAN -Neighbor Awareness Network- identifier indicating that the first wireless device belongs to a neighbor awareness network, a cluster ID -IDentifier- indicating that the first wireless device belongs to a first neighbor awareness network cluster, a first hop count value indicating hops to a first anchor master in the first neighbor awareness network cluster and information describing a first master rank value of the first anchor master, the first synchronization message having a first signal level; receiving, by the apparatus, one or more second synchronization messages from a second wireless device transmitting synchronization messages, the second synchronization message including the NAN identifier indicating that the second wireless device belongs to a neighbor awareness network, a cluster ID indicating that the second wireless device belongs to a second neighbor awareness network cluster, a second hop count value indicating hops to a second anchor master in the second neighbor awareness network cluster and information describing a second master rank value of the second anchor master, the second synchronization message having a second signal level; comparing, by the apparatus, the first and second master rank values; and selecting, by the apparatus, the neighbor awareness network cluster corresponding to the synchronization message having the greater master rank value if the signal level of the synchronization message exceeds a predefined threshold signal level.