A method for synchronizing the discovery of wireless services or applications in a wireless network using a recurring time interval T in which wireless devices within the wireless network can be in one of a predetermined plurality of time states. The method includes selecting a time state from amongst the plurality of time states, performing discovery by a first wireless device supporting a given service or application once during the recurring time interval T at the selected time state, and repeating the above steps in successive ones of the recurring time interval T until all of the predetermined plurality of time states have been selected.