A wireless scatternet is provided that has at least two networks, each including a controller and one or more devices. The controller of each network has a usable physical area that indicates the farthest distance to which the controller can successfully communicate. The controllers will pass network information to each other in various ways depending upon the extent of overlap between the networks. If two networks have visible overlap, the controllers will pass the network information directly. If they have hidden overlap, one controller will use a device in the other controller's network to pass the network information. If they have indirect overlap, one device from each network will together in a child network, and the controllers will pass the network information via the devices in this child network. The network information may be passed through beacons or a separate broadcast message.