A node device for a self-organizing wireless multihop network containing a plurality of other node devices (N x) arranged in a hierarchy of parent and child nodes in which node devices operating as parent nodes provide links for one or more child nodes through which connectivity to a gateway device, GW, is established, each node device being within wireless communication range of one or more neighboring node devices (N x, 150) located in a corresponding local neighborhood, the node device comprising: radio communications circuitry, and a controller interfaced with the radio communication circuitry, the controller including a processor and a non-transitory data storage medium containing instructions executable on the processor, that, when executed, cause the controller to implement a communication mode control module; the communication mode control module causing radio communications circuitry to selectively operate in a short-range, SR, communication mode, and in a long-range, LR, communication mode, wherein the SR communication mode utilizes a higher data rate than the LR communication mode for any given communication bandwidth; the communication mode control module controlling operation of the radio communications circuitry to (a) advertise connectivity link availability for neighboring node devices (N x), and (b) selectively initiate a link in response to connectivity availability advertised by at least one neighboring node device (N x, 150); the communication mode control module controlling operation of (a) to be performed in both, the SR communication mode, and the LR communication mode, according to a periodicity that is dynamically-variable in response to prevailing circumstances in the local neighborhood; and the communication mode control module operating the node device to time-multiplex operations as a parent node and as a child node, wherein the operation of (a) is carried out as part of the parent node operations in one of either the SR mode or the LR mode in response to a parent mode selection, and the operation of (b) is carried out as part of the child node operation in one of either the SR mode or the LR mode in response to a child mode selection, controlling operation of (b) to be selectively performed in one of either the SR communication mode or the LR communication mode, based on selection criteria that include data throughput performance associated with different neighboring node devices (N x) with which connectivity is available via a certain communication mode, and wherein the parent mode selection is made independently of either the child mode selection or the parent mode selection of any other node. radio communications circuitry, and a controller interfaced with the radio communication circuitry, the controller including a processor and a non-transitory data storage medium containing instructions executable on the processor, that, when executed, cause the controller to implement a communication mode control module; the communication mode control module causing radio communications circuitry to selectively operate in a short-range, SR, communication mode, and in a long-range, LR, communication mode, wherein the SR communication mode utilizes a higher data rate than the LR communication mode for any given communication bandwidth; the communication mode control module controlling operation of the radio communications circuitry to (a) advertise connectivity link availability for neighboring node devices (N x), and (b) selectively initiate a link in response to connectivity availability advertised by at least one neighboring node device (N x, 150); (a) advertise connectivity link availability for neighboring node devices (N x), and (b) selectively initiate a link in response to connectivity availability advertised by at least one neighboring node device (N x, 150); the communication mode control module controlling operation of (a) to be performed in both, the SR communication mode, and the LR communication mode, according to a periodicity that is dynamically-variable in response to prevailing circumstances in the local neighborhood; and the communication mode control module operating the node device to time-multiplex operations as a parent node and as a child node, wherein the operation of (a) is carried out as part of the parent node operations in one of either the SR mode or the LR mode in response to a parent mode selection, and the operation of (b) is carried out as part of the child node operation in one of either the SR mode or the LR mode in response to a child mode selection, controlling operation of (b) to be selectively performed in one of either the SR communication mode or the LR communication mode, based on selection criteria that include data throughput performance associated with different neighboring node devices (N x) with which connectivity is available via a certain communication mode, and wherein the parent mode selection is made independently of either the child mode selection or the parent mode selection of any other node.