21. A method implemented in a device, the method comprising: obtaining, via a managed wireless distribution network system of the device, parameters allowing the device to join wireless networks hosted by multiple additional devices in a managed wireless distribution network; joining a wireless network hosted by one of the multiple additional devices in order to transfer protected content between the device and the one of the multiple additional devices; identifying, via the managed wireless distribution network system and during a broadcast window, one or more of the wireless networks that the device can see; providing, via the managed wireless distribution network system and to a network management service, an indication of the one or more wireless networks that the device can see; and maintaining, at a content store of the device, portions of protected content that can be consumed by a user of the device only if the user of the device has permission to consume the protected content, and that can be transferred to ones of the multiple additional devices in the managed wireless distribution network regardless of whether the user of the device has permission to consume the protected content.
21. A method implemented in a device, the method comprising: obtaining, via a managed wireless distribution network system of the device, parameters allowing the device to join wireless networks hosted by multiple additional devices in a managed wireless distribution network; joining a wireless network hosted by one of the multiple additional devices in order to transfer protected content between the device and the one of the multiple additional devices; identifying, via the managed wireless distribution network system and during a broadcast window, one or more of the wireless networks that the device can see; providing, via the managed wireless distribution network system and to a network management service, an indication of the one or more wireless networks that the device can see; and maintaining, at a content store of the device, portions of protected content that can be consumed by a user of the device only if the user of the device has permission to consume the protected content, and that can be transferred to ones of the multiple additional devices in the managed wireless distribution network regardless of whether the user of the device has permission to consume the protected content. 23. A method as recited in claim 21 , further comprising obtaining, via the managed wireless distribution network system, portions of protected content for storage in the content store from: one of the multiple additional devices via a chain of multiple wireless networks of the managed wireless distribution network; or from another device via a peer-to-peer network over the Internet.