System and method for rejoining sleeping subnets in a wireless mesh network

A system and method for joining nodes from a first and a second subnet into a network. A probability is established that a node within the first subnet will enter scout mode during its sleep interval, wherein the probability is less than 100%. If the node enters scout mode, a message is broadcasted from the node in scout mode to other nodes inviting nodes in other subnets to join with the first subnet, wherein the message includes the node's network identifier. If the message broadcasted by the node in scout mode is detected by a node in a second subnet, the node in the second subnet determines whether nodes in the second subnet have the same network identifier as the network identifier in the message broadcast by the node in scout mode. If the nodes in the second subnet have the same network identifier as the network identifier in the message broadcast by the node in scout mode, the nodes in the first and second subnets are combined into a combined network.