A wireless device is configured to automatically resign from an ad hoc network. In some aspects the resignation may be based on automatic detection of inactivity associated with the ad hoc network. For example, resignation from the ad hoc network may be based on absence of uplink and downlink traffic at a wireless device, absence of open sockets at a wireless device, or a lack of beacon transmissions by other wireless devices. In the latter case, a lack of beacon transmissions by other wireless devices in the ad hoc network may be indicated by the transmission of a relatively large number of beacons in succession by a wireless device.