A method for accessing a contention-based communications network, the network having an access point connected thereto, the access point being a first node (1.3.1) connected to the network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, by the access point, a request from a second node (1, 106) that does not have access to the network and that is seeking to gain access to the network; wherein the following steps being performed by the access point: measuring (204, 252, 604) a power of a signal transmitted between the access point and the second node (1, 106); determining (206, 254, 606) a probability that the second node (1, 106) will access the network based on the measured power of the signal transmitted between the access point and the second node (1, 106); and determining (206, 254, 606) whether to permit the second node (1, 106) to gain access to the network based on the determined probability; wherein the method further comprising, after the access point determining the second node (1, 106) to permit access to the network, the steps of in response to the determining (208, 608) to permit, the access point opening a communication link between the access point and the second node (1, 106), through which the access point is configured to forward communications between the second node (1, 106) and the network; receiving, by the second node (1, 106), a signal from a third node (3, 106) seeking to gain access to the network; measuring (204, 252, 604), by the second node (1, 106), a power of the signal received from the third node (3, 106); determining (206, 208, 254, 606, 608), by the second node (1, 106), based on the measured power of the signal from the third node (3, 106), to permit the third node (3, 106) to gain access to the network; and in response to the determining by the second node (1, 106), the second node (1, 106) opening a communication link between the second node (1, 106) and the third node (3, 106), through which the second node (1, 106) is configured to forward communications between the third node (3, 106) and the network. receiving, by the access point, a request from a second node (1, 106) that does not have access to the network and that is seeking to gain access to the network; wherein the following steps being performed by the access point: measuring (204, 252, 604) a power of a signal transmitted between the access point and the second node (1, 106); determining (206, 254, 606) a probability that the second node (1, 106) will access the network based on the measured power of the signal transmitted between the access point and the second node (1, 106); and determining (206, 254, 606) whether to permit the second node (1, 106) to gain access to the network based on the determined probability; wherein the method further comprising, after the access point determining the second node (1, 106) to permit access to the network, the steps of in response to the determining (208, 608) to permit, the access point opening a communication link between the access point and the second node (1, 106), through which the access point is configured to forward communications between the second node (1, 106) and the network; receiving, by the second node (1, 106), a signal from a third node (3, 106) seeking to gain access to the network; measuring (204, 252, 604), by the second node (1, 106), a power of the signal received from the third node (3, 106); determining (206, 208, 254, 606, 608), by the second node (1, 106), based on the measured power of the signal from the third node (3, 106), to permit the third node (3, 106) to gain access to the network; and in response to the determining by the second node (1, 106), the second node (1, 106) opening a communication link between the second node (1, 106) and the third node (3, 106), through which the second node (1, 106) is configured to forward communications between the third node (3, 106) and the network. measuring (204, 252, 604) a power of a signal transmitted between the access point and the second node (1, 106); determining (206, 254, 606) a probability that the second node (1, 106) will access the network based on the measured power of the signal transmitted between the access point and the second node (1, 106); and determining (206, 254, 606) whether to permit the second node (1, 106) to gain access to the network based on the determined probability; wherein the method further comprising, after the access point determining the second node (1, 106) to permit access to the network, the steps of in response to the determining (208, 608) to permit, the access point opening a communication link between the access point and the second node (1, 106), through which the access point is configured to forward communications between the second node (1, 106) and the network; receiving, by the second node (1, 106), a signal from a third node (3, 106) seeking to gain access to the network; measuring (204, 252, 604), by the second node (1, 106), a power of the signal received from the third node (3, 106); determining (206, 208, 254, 606, 608), by the second node (1, 106), based on the measured power of the signal from the third node (3, 106), to permit the third node (3, 106) to gain access to the network; and in response to the determining by the second node (1, 106), the second node (1, 106) opening a communication link between the second node (1, 106) and the third node (3, 106), through which the second node (1, 106) is configured to forward communications between the third node (3, 106) and the network.