Modified time division multiple access (TDMA) network

A system for managing network communications, the system comprising:

• a node of a network of nodes, wherein the network is configured as a modified time division multiple access (TDMA) network, wherein the modified TDMA network allows for one node of the network at a time for a given frequency to transmit to other nodes of the network, wherein the modified TDMA network lacks predefined synchronized slot boundaries that would otherwise define transmit allocation intervals, wherein the modified TDMA network lacks a predefined allocation of a number of slots for each node per cycle, wherein the modified TDMA utilizes a transmitted sequence indicating an order in which each node of the network is to transmit, wherein the modified TDMA utilizes packets each transmitted with a counter indicating a number of remaining packets from a particular node, wherein when the counter reaches a terminal value a subsequent node in the sequence is allowed to transmit, wherein the node comprises at least one processor and a transceiver communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
• collect data received from each other node of the network during a data collection phase of a given modified TDMA cycle, the collected data including information of connectivity between pairs of nodes of the network;
• and
• output the collected data for transmission to each other node of the network during a data distribution phase of the given modified TDMA cycle.