FIG. 2 is a block diagram that depicts a communications network 200, according to an embodiment of the invention. For clarity, FIG. 2 depicts a small number of communications devices, whereas in practice any number of such communications devices may be used. Examples of communications devices that may be used in a network that uses the channel selection approach described herein include, but are not limited to, wireless devices that are used in wireless local area networks (WLANs) and in wireless personal area networks (WPANs), such as cordless phones, laptop computers, desktop computers, printers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Wireless devices may communicate in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, infrared, line of sight, cellular, microwave, satellite, packet radio and spread spectrum technologies. Some communications devices may be characterized as mobile devices based on the relative ease of moving such devices between locations or because the mobile devices may be conveniently carried by a person, such as cordless phones, laptop computers, and PDAs.

Communications network 200 includes a master 210 and slaves 220, 230. Master 210 includes a memory 212 that may be used to store instructions, a processor 214 that may execute the instructions stored in memory 212, and a transceiver 216 that is configured to transmit and receive communications between master 210 and other devices of communications network 200, such as slaves 220, 230.

Slaves 220, 230 include a memory 222, 232, a processor 224, 234 and a transceiver 226, 236, respectively, that perform functions similar to the corresponding elements of master 210.