A method performed in a wireless network (100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 200, 201, 202) having a plurality of nodes (110, 112, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 134, 210, 210, 212, 214, 216), including a beacon node (110, 122, 130, 210, 212), the method comprising: determining, at each node, whether a beacon signal has been received at the node from the current beacon node (110, 122, 130, 210, 212) within a predetermined interval; if a node determines that a beacon signal has not been received at the node from the current beacon node (110, 122, 130, 210, 212) within the predetermined interval, determining whether the node should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, wherein determining whether the node should nominate itself is a function of a probability value associated with the node; if the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, sending out one or more beacon signals; receiving a beacon signal from other nodes that have nominated themselves as potential replacement beacon nodes; and selecting the replacement beacon node, wherein selecting includes: determining, at each potential replacement beacon node, whether the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node; and if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, removing itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node; wherein each node adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes. determining, at each node, whether a beacon signal has been received at the node from the current beacon node (110, 122, 130, 210, 212) within a predetermined interval; if a node determines that a beacon signal has not been received at the node from the current beacon node (110, 122, 130, 210, 212) within the predetermined interval, determining whether the node should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, wherein determining whether the node should nominate itself is a function of a probability value associated with the node; if the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, sending out one or more beacon signals; receiving a beacon signal from other nodes that have nominated themselves as potential replacement beacon nodes; and selecting the replacement beacon node, wherein selecting includes: determining, at each potential replacement beacon node, whether the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node; and if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, removing itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node; determining, at each potential replacement beacon node, whether the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node; and if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, removing itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node; wherein each node adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes.