A method directed to receiving, by a network device, client density data of a first access node in a plurality of access nodes in a network. Also, the network device receives client density data of a second access node in the plurality of access nodes. The network device determines whether the client density data of the first access node overlaps with the client density data of the second access node. In response to the received client density data of the first access node overlapping with the received client density data of the second access node, the network device identifies the first access node and the second access node as members of a virtual radio frequency (RF) neighborhood, wherein the virtual RF neighborhood comprises a subset of a RF neighborhood. Each member of the virtual RF neighborhood is capable of receiving beacons from other members of the virtual RF neighborhood.