An electronic device and operation method are provided that include a communication circuit, a memory to store mapping data in which identification information of a cellular communication network and information indicating whether the cellular communication network supports a standalone (SA) mode of a first cellular communication supported thereby are mapped, and a communication processor to, while searching for a node through the first cellular communication and/or second cellular communication, receive system information broadcast by the node, determine, based on identification information of a cellular communication network included in the system information and the mapping data, whether a cellular communication network corresponding to the node supports the SA mode of the first cellular communication, and, when it is determined that the cellular communication network does not support the SA mode, stop searching for the node through the first cellular communication and search for the node through the second cellular communication.