1. A method for creating a directed acyclic graph by a network node of a network, the method including: storing, by the network node, adjacent node entries in the network node and identifying links to other network nodes in the network, each adjacent node entry identifying first and second adjacent nodes of the network, the link connecting the corresponding first and second adjacent nodes, and a corresponding cost of the link, at least one of the adjacent node entries identifying the network node and a next-hop node that is adjacent to the network node; adding, by the network node to a candidate path data structure in the network node, a first candidate path entry for each next-hop node and that specifies a first path between the network node and the corresponding next-hop node via the corresponding link at the corresponding cost, and orienting a link orientation of the corresponding link toward the network node, selectively adding, by the network node for each next-hop node, a second candidate path entry to the candidate path data structure, for each secondary adjacent node that is adjacent to the corresponding one next-hop node, based on a determined absence of orientation of the corresponding link between the corresponding secondary adjacent node and the corresponding one next-hop node, the second candidate path entry specifying a corresponding extended path that extends the corresponding first path of the corresponding one next-hop node to between the network node and the corresponding secondary adjacent node based on: (1) adding the link and cost of the corresponding adjacent node entry specifying the secondary adjacent node and the corresponding one next-hop node with the respective link and cost of the corresponding first candidate entry, and (2) orienting the link connecting the secondary adjacent node and the corresponding one next-hop node toward the corresponding one next-hop node; and the network node distributing the directed acyclic graph to the other network nodes for transmission of packets to the network node, the directed acyclic graph specifying the first paths, the extended paths, and the oriented links for enabling every one of the other network nodes to reach the network node.