A method by a first router, the method comprising: making one or more bandwidth reservations on a wireless channel in response to one or more path requests, each of the one or more path requests being associated with: a respective bandwidth reservation request from a head end router, a respective setup priority level of a plurality of different priority levels, and a respective hold priority level of the plurality of different priority levels, the setup priority level indicating priority for setting up a new bandwidth reservation based on the path request, the hold priority level indicating priority for maintaining the bandwidth reservation once bandwidth is reserved based on the path request; tracking reserved bandwidth for path requests and unreserved bandwidth at each of the plurality of different priority levels; receiving a bandwidth update from a radio frequency unit, the bandwidth update being associated with a change in total available bandwidth over the wireless channel; determining if the change in total available bandwidth results in total reserved bandwidth exceeding total available bandwidth; if the change in total available bandwidth results in total reserved bandwidth exceeding total available bandwidth, then preempting a lowest priority path request based on the respective hold priority level of the one or more path requests; after preempting the lowest priority path request based on the respective hold priority level, updating the reserved bandwidth for path requests and unreserved bandwidth at one or more priority level of the plurality of priority levels; and providing a message to a particular head end router regarding the preemption of the lowest priority path request. making one or more bandwidth reservations on a wireless channel in response to one or more path requests, each of the one or more path requests being associated with: a respective bandwidth reservation request from a head end router, a respective setup priority level of a plurality of different priority levels, and a respective hold priority level of the plurality of different priority levels, the setup priority level indicating priority for setting up a new bandwidth reservation based on the path request, the hold priority level indicating priority for maintaining the bandwidth reservation once bandwidth is reserved based on the path request; a respective bandwidth reservation request from a head end router, a respective setup priority level of a plurality of different priority levels, and a respective hold priority level of the plurality of different priority levels, the setup priority level indicating priority for setting up a new bandwidth reservation based on the path request, the hold priority level indicating priority for maintaining the bandwidth reservation once bandwidth is reserved based on the path request; tracking reserved bandwidth for path requests and unreserved bandwidth at each of the plurality of different priority levels; receiving a bandwidth update from a radio frequency unit, the bandwidth update being associated with a change in total available bandwidth over the wireless channel; determining if the change in total available bandwidth results in total reserved bandwidth exceeding total available bandwidth; if the change in total available bandwidth results in total reserved bandwidth exceeding total available bandwidth, then preempting a lowest priority path request based on the respective hold priority level of the one or more path requests; after preempting the lowest priority path request based on the respective hold priority level, updating the reserved bandwidth for path requests and unreserved bandwidth at one or more priority level of the plurality of priority levels; and providing a message to a particular head end router regarding the preemption of the lowest priority path request. <EOS>