A system includes a wireless communication device that joins a wireless communication network. Specifically, the wireless communication device measures a quality metric of the wireless communication network in response to a trigger to join the wireless communication network. The wireless communication device determines whether the quality metric indicates a high quality environment or a low quality environment for communicating signals. In response to the quality metric indicating the high quality environment, the wireless communication device selects a first pathway with an optimum transmission time between the wireless communication device and a central controller of the wireless communication network. In response to the quality metric indicating a low quality environment, the wireless communication device selects a second pathway comprising an optimum quality link between the wireless communication device and another wireless communication device in the wireless communication network.