1. A method of operation of a node within an ad hoc network, the method comprising: monitoring one or more messages from one or more other nodes in the ad hoc network to identify a Network Name and a Network Identifier associated with each of the other nodes; comparing each Network Name with a current Network Name of the node; for each of the other nodes having the same Network Name as the current Network Name of the node, comparing each Network Identifier with a current Network Identifier of the node; and when at least one Network Identifier of at least one other node is different from the current Network Identifier of the node, using an arbitration method to determine if the first node should change the current Network Identifier.