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A system includes wireless network devices and a terminal device. The wireless network devices include a base station and plural repeater devices for routing data. The terminal device runs a network protocol to establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices. T

A system includes wireless network devices and a terminal device. The wireless network devices include a base station and plural repeater devices for routing data. The terminal device runs a network protocol to establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices. The terminal device enters a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method performed by a device, comprising: establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; and entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein establishing a presence

What is claimed is: 1. A method performed by a device, comprising: establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; and entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises: sending a first communication to the wireless network; awaiting a first confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the first communication; sending a second communication to the wireless network if the first confirmation message is received, the second communication being larger than the first communication; awaiting a second confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the second communication; sending a third communication to the wireless network if the second confirmation message is received, the third communication being larger than the second communication; and awaiting a third confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the third communication. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication comprises an identifier for the wireless network. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication comprises an identifier for the device and an identifier for a node on the wireless network with which the device would like to communicate. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the third communication comprises parameters associated with the device, including status of input/output channels on the device and a data packet generation rate of the device. 5. A method performed by a device, comprising: establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; and entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises: sending N (N>1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network further comprises: receiving a confirmation message following each of the N communications. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the N communications following the first one of the N communications is sent only if a confirmation message is received in response to an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 8. A method performed by a device, comprising: establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; and entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises: establishing plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless network; wherein establishing plural master nodes comprises: identifying N (N>1) nodes on the wireless network that comprise fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network; and storing data corresponding to the N nodes in memory. 9. A method performed by a device, comprising: establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; and entering a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein establishing a presence in a wireless network comprises: storing data identifying plural master nodes that are ready to receive communication from the device, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes enabling access of the device to the wireless network; wherein the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node, the device communicating to the wireless network via the primary master node or via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node; and wherein the primary master node has fewer hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network than does the secondary master node. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plural master nodes stores the data from the wireless network, and the device receives the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes. 11. A method performed by a device, comprising: establishing a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the device; entering a low-power mode during at least part of a time during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; checking a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network, the device waiting a period between each of the multiple times; increasing the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and checking the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network, the device waiting the increased period between each of the multiple times. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless network. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein checking and increasing are performed in a media access control (MAC) layer of a network protocol stack. 15. A system comprising: (i) wireless network devices comprising: a base station; and plural repeater devices for routing data; and (ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to: establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein, to establish the presence, the terminal device is configured to: send a first communication to the wireless network; await a first confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the first communication; send a second communication to the wireless network if the first confirmation message is received, the second communication being larger than the first communication; await a second confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the second communication; send a third communication to the wireless network if the second confirmation message is received, the third communication being larger than the second communication; and await a third confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the third communication. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first communication comprises an identifier for the wireless network. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the second communication comprises an identifier for the terminal device and an identifier for a node on the wireless network with which the terminal device would like to communicate. 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the third communication comprises parameters associated with the terminal device, including status of input/output channels on the terminal device and a data packet generation rate of the terminal device. 19. A system comprising: (i) wireless network devices comprising: a base station; and plural repeater devices for routing data; and (ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to: establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein, to establish the presence, the terminal device is configured to: send N (N>1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein, to establish the presence, the terminal device is configured to: receive a confirmation message following each of the N communications. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the terminal device is configured to send each of the N communications following the first one of the N communications only if the terminal device receives a confirmation message in response to an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 22. A system comprising: (i) wireless network devices comprising: a base station; and plural repeater devices for routing data; and (ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to: establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein, to establish the presence, the terminal device is configured to: establish plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising other devices on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the terminal device to the wireless network; wherein, to establish the plural master nodes, the terminal device is configured to: identify N (N>1) devices on the wireless network that comprise fewest numbers of hops from the terminal device to the base station; and store data corresponding to the N devices in memory. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes. 24. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one of the plural master nodes is configured to store data from the wireless network, and the terminal device is configured to receive the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes. 25. A system comprising: (i) wireless network devices comprising: a base station; and plural repeater devices for routing data; and (ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to: establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein, to establish the presence, the terminal device is configured to: establish plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising other devices on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes enabling access of the terminal device to the wireless network; and wherein, to establish the plural master nodes, the terminal device is configured to: identify N (N>1) devices on the wireless network that define a route from the terminal device to the base station, the route meeting at least one predefined criterion; and store data corresponding to the N devices in memory. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein, at least one of the plural repeater devices is configured to: establish plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising devices on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes providing a path for transmission of data over the wireless network. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein, to establish the plural master nodes, the at least one of the plural repeater devices is configured to: identify N (N>1) devices on the wireless network having fewest numbers of hops to the base station; and store data corresponding to the N devices in memory. 28. The system of claim 26, wherein: the plural master nodes for the at least one of the plural repeater devices comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and the at least one of the plural repeater devices is configured to communicate over the wireless network via the primary master node or via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the primary master node has fewer hops to the base station than does the secondary master node. 30. A system comprising: (i) wireless network devices comprising: a base station; and plural repeater devices for routing data; and (ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to: establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein, to establish the presence, the terminal device is configured to: store data identifying plural master nodes that are ready to receive communication from the terminal device, the plural master nodes comprising other devices on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes enabling access of the terminal device to the wireless network; wherein: the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; and the terminal device is configured to communicate with the wireless network via the primary master node or via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node; and wherein the primary master node has fewer hops from the terminal device to the base station than does the secondary master node. 31. A system comprising: (i) wireless network devices comprising: a base station; and plural repeater devices for routing data; and (ii) a terminal device that runs a network protocol to: establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the terminal device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the terminal device and at least one of the repeater devices is configured to: check a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and wait a period between each of the multiple times; increase the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and check the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and wait the increased period between each of the multiple times. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve. 33. The system of claim 31, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless network. 34. The system of claim 31, wherein checking and increasing the time are performed in a media access control layer of a network protocol stack. 35. One or more machine-readable media to store instructions which, when executed, cause a device to: initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless network; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish a presence in the wireless network comprise instructions to: send a first communication to the wireless network; await a first confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the first communication; send a second communication to the wireless network if the first confirmation message is received, the second communication being larger than the first communication; await a second confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the second communication; send a third communication to the wireless network if the second confirmation message is received, the third communication being larger than the second communication; and await a third confirmation message from the wireless network in response to the third communication. 36. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 35, wherein the first communication comprises an identifier for the wireless network. 37. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 35, wherein the second communication comprises an identifier for the device and an identifier for a node on the wireless network with which the device would like to communicate. 38. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 35, wherein the third communication comprises parameters associated with the device, including status of input/output channels on the device and a data packet generation rate of the device. 39. One or more machine-readable media to store instructions which, when executed, cause a device to: initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless network; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish a presence in a wireless network comprise instructions to: send N (N>1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 40. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 39, wherein the instructions to establish a presence in a wireless network comprise instructions to: receive a confirmation message following each of the N communications. 41. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 40, wherein each of the N communications following the first one of the N communications is sent only if a confirmation message is received in response to an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 42. One or more machine-readable media to store instructions which, when executed, cause a device to: initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless network; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish a presence in a wireless network comprise instructions to: establish plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish plural master nodes comprise instructions to: identify N (N>1) nodes on the wireless network comprising fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network; and store data corresponding to the N nodes in memory. 43. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 42, wherein the plural master nodes comprise two master nodes. 44. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 42, wherein: at least one of the plural master nodes stores data from the wireless network; and the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause the device to receive the data from the at least one of the plural master nodes. 45. One or more machine-readable media to store instructions which, when executed, cause a device to: initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless network; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish a presence in a wireless network comprise instructions to: store data identifying plural master nodes that are ready to receive communication from the device, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes enabling access of the device to the wireless network; and wherein: the plural master nodes comprise a primary master node and a secondary master node; the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions which, when executed, cause the device to communicate to the wireless network via the primary master node or via the secondary master node if there is a problem with the primary master node; and wherein the primary master node has fewer hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network than does the secondary master node. 46. One or more machine-readable media to store instructions which, when executed, cause a device to: initiate communications to establish a presence in a wireless network; enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; check a channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and wait a period between each of the multiple times; increase the period following the multiple times resulting in an increased period; and check the channel multiple times prior to sending data over the wireless network and wait the increased period between each of the multiple times. 47. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 46, wherein the period corresponds to an exponential curve and increasing the period comprises changing the exponential curve. 48. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 46, wherein the period is increased based on traffic on the wireless network. 49. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 46, wherein checking and increasing are performed in a media access control (MAC) layer of a network protocol stack. 50. An apparatus comprising: memory that stores executable instructions; and at least one processor that executes the instructions to: establish a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the apparatus; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the apparatus is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish a presence in a wireless network comprise instructions to: send N (N>1) communications to the wireless network, each of the N communications following a first one of the N communications comprising more data than an immediately preceding one of the N communications. 51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the at least one processor comprises a first processor and a second processor, the first processor operating at a higher clock speed than the second processor, the first processor running a coordinating protocol to allocate functions to the first processor and the second processor, the functions including establishing the presence in the wireless network. 52. An apparatus comprising: memory that stores executable instructions; and at least one processor that executes the instructions to: establish a presence in a wireless network via communications initiated by the apparatus; and enter a low-power mode during a period when the device is not communicating over the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish a presence in a wireless network comprise instructions to: establish plural master nodes, the plural master nodes comprising nodes on the wireless network, at least one of the plural master nodes mediating access of the device to the wireless network; wherein the instructions to establish plural master nodes comprise instructions to: identify N (N>1) nodes on the wireless network comprising fewest numbers of hops from the device to a base station on the wireless network; and store data corresponding to the N nodes in memory.