1. A method implemented by a particular node in an ad hoc network, comprising: (a) broadcasting a request for response at a particular transmission power level; (b) receiving an N number of responses, thereby indicating that an N number of neighbor nodes received and responded to the request, wherein N represents a set of potential next-hop nodes to which the particular node may forward packets; (c) determining whether N is within a desired range; (d) in response to a determination that N is not within the desired range, adjusting the particular transmission power level and repeating (a) through (c); (e) in response to a determination that N is within the desired range, concluding that the particular transmission power level is an appropriate power level to use for future transmissions; (f) identifying, based on the N number of responses received, an M number of nodes reachable from the particular node; (g) determining whether the M number of nodes includes a destination node; (h) in response to a determination that the M number of nodes does not include a destination node, generating new values for the desired range and repeating (a) through (c); and (i) in response to a determination that the M number of nodes includes the destination node, transmitting a packet addressed to the destination node to a next-hop node using the particular power transmission level.