A beacon-based network, a method for joining a network, and a method and an apparatus for transmitting frames are disclosed. The beacon-based network includes: a device node, configured to carry superframe time sequence indication information in a data frame and/or command frame and send the frame during the process of communicating with a coordinator node; and a pending node, configured to: monitor a packet transmitted in a network, and request to join the network according to a beacon if the beacon is monitored; obtain beacon information, which includes superframe time sequence indication information, from a monitored data frame or command frame after monitoring the data frame or command frame, and request to join the network through a monitored network operating channel according to the beacon information. The foregoing technical solution shortens the time spent by the pending node in monitoring the beacon, and reduces the time spent by the pending node in requesting to join the network.