A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising: connecting, by the wireless device in station mode, to a gateway device of a wireless local area network, WLAN, wherein the gateway device operates as a mesh access point, MAP, and a bridge for the WLAN to a wide area network, WAN; receiving, by the wireless device in station mode, from the gateway device, a mesh announcement message including a mesh-peer list, wherein the mesh-peer list includes information for pre-establishment of a mesh link, and a network identifier, NI, of a subnetwork of the WLAN, wherein the subnetwork is a mesh network; transmitting, by the wireless device in station mode, to the gateway device, a request message to join the subnetwork, wherein the subnetwork includes the gateway device and a first node that operates as a mesh AP for the WLAN; receiving, by the wireless device in station mode, from the gateway device, a response message including a security credential for connecting to the subnetwork; establishing, by the wireless device in station mode, based on the mesh announcement message, the security credential, and the NI, a first connection to the first node; changing, by the wireless device, from station mode to mesh access point mode and operating, with the first node, as another mesh AP for the WLAN, wherein the first connection is a one-hop data-link layer connection; receiving, by the wireless device in mesh access point mode, data originating from a station, STA, that is connected to the WLAN via the wireless device, wherein the data has a destination outside of the WLAN; and transmitting, by the wireless device in mesh access point mode, the data to the first node to communicate to the gateway device. connecting, by the wireless device in station mode, to a gateway device of a wireless local area network, WLAN, wherein the gateway device operates as a mesh access point, MAP, and a bridge for the WLAN to a wide area network, WAN; receiving, by the wireless device in station mode, from the gateway device, a mesh announcement message including a mesh-peer list, wherein the mesh-peer list includes information for pre-establishment of a mesh link, and a network identifier, NI, of a subnetwork of the WLAN, wherein the subnetwork is a mesh network; transmitting, by the wireless device in station mode, to the gateway device, a request message to join the subnetwork, wherein the subnetwork includes the gateway device and a first node that operates as a mesh AP for the WLAN; receiving, by the wireless device in station mode, from the gateway device, a response message including a security credential for connecting to the subnetwork; establishing, by the wireless device in station mode, based on the mesh announcement message, the security credential, and the NI, a first connection to the first node; changing, by the wireless device, from station mode to mesh access point mode and operating, with the first node, as another mesh AP for the WLAN, wherein the first connection is a one-hop data-link layer connection; receiving, by the wireless device in mesh access point mode, data originating from a station, STA, that is connected to the WLAN via the wireless device, wherein the data has a destination outside of the WLAN; and transmitting, by the wireless device in mesh access point mode, the data to the first node to communicate to the gateway device.