In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for associating a first node in a mesh network with a communication type; activating the first node at a predefined interval to detect the presence of a message of the communication type in a transmission from a second node in the mesh network; continuing to activate the first node at the predefined interval if the transmission from the second node does not conform to the associated communication type of the first node; activating the first node beyond the predefined interval if the associated communication type is detected in the transmission from the second node; and receiving a message at the first node from the second node following detection of the associated communication type.