Methods and terminals can use Internet Protocol (IP) packets for waveform independent contention access in a hub-spoke network. In some embodiments, a spoke terminal can transmit a link allocation packet on an uplink when the uplink is available and the spoke terminal has data to transmit. The link allocation packet can be embedded within an IP packet. When the spoke terminal receives the link allocation packet on the downlink, the spoke terminal can transmit one or more IP packets with data, followed by a link release packet. The link release packet can be embedded within an IP packet.