In a network having a plurality of network devices communicating across the network, a method, includes performing a first scan of a first plurality of channels of the network, wherein the channels are scanned for a first scan time; identifying a list of one or more potentially available channels based on results of the first scan; performing a second scan of the network channels, the second scan scanning only those channels identified as potentially available channels based on the first scan, one of the each potentially available channel for a second scan time and wherein the second scan time is longer than the first scan time; and identifying an available channel based on results of the second scan and selecting the available channel for communication.