Encoded information reading terminal with wireless path selection capability

An encoded information reading (EIR) terminal, comprising:

• a terminal module including a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and an encoded information reading (EIR) device selected from the group consisting of a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, and a card reading device, the EIR device configured to output raw message data;
• a wireless interface module communicatively coupled to the terminal module via a wired interface, the wireless interface module including a microcontroller, a memory, and at least one wireless communication interface;
• wherein the wireless interface module is configured to establish one or more wireless links with one or more peer EIR terminals to join a wireless network of peer EIR terminals;
• and
• wherein the wireless interface module is configured, responsive to receiving a portal announcement, to cache one or more network addresses of devices having originated the portal announcement.