Embodiments provide a new short beacon frame format and its operation with full beacon frame transmissions for wireless communications devices. Many embodiments comprise a medium access control (MAC) sublayer logic to build frames comprising the short beacon frame for a first communications device. In some embodiments, the MAC sublayer may determine a frame control field comprising a type field indicative of an extension frame and a subtype indicative of a short beacon. In further embodiments, the frame control field may comprise a service set identifier (SSID) control field, and a reserved field. Some embodiments may store the short beacon frame or frame format in memory, in logic, or in another manner that facilitates transmission of the short beacon frames. Some embodiments may receive and detect communications with the short beacon frames. Further embodiments may generate and transmit a communication with the short beacon frames.