1. A method for assigning transmission frequencies and transmission power levels to a plurality of access points in a wireless network, comprising: a) evaluating a first evaluation metric for a first subset of possible frequency assignments to said plurality of access points wherein said first evaluation metric counts a number of pairs of said access points that contend on the same frequency; b) for a plurality of frequency assignments ranked best in said a) step, evaluating a second evaluation metric for all possible assignments of transmission power; c) identifying a mean transmission power for a plurality of transmission powers ranked best in said b) step; d) based on said mean transmission power, evaluating said first evaluation metric for a second subset of possible frequency assignments, said second subset being larger than said first subset; and e) for a plurality of frequency assignments ranked best in said d) step, evaluating said second evaluation metric for all possible assignments of transmission power.