Wireless communication is performed by stations (nodes) in a wireless mesh network by forming nodes into a mesh network without the need of network-wide synchronization and without needing to form active links between potential neighbors. Nodes obtain information on neighbors in the network by listening to transmitted beacons from these nearby nodes. Synchronization and active links are established when a data transmission session is triggered and initiated by the route setup process. The link formation process performed when establishing a new route performs both beamforming and synchronization. In situations in which a new route does not intersect other active routes then independent synchronization is performed; but when intersecting routes exist, the new route is synchronized with all intersecting routes where nodes are configured to serve both routes.