1. An apparatus, comprising: a transceiver configured for sending and receiving data from wireless nodes belonging to an associated network; and a channel assignment manager comprising logic for selecting channels for the wireless nodes belonging to the associated network; wherein the channel assignment manager is configured to compile a neighbor list based on data received from the wireless nodes; wherein the channel assignment manager is configured to group wireless nodes sharing a common channel in a spanning sub-tree of a spanning tree into Channel Assignment Clusters; wherein the channel assignment manager is configured to determine from data received from the wireless nodes, via the transceiver, overlapping coverage areas between the Channel Assignment Clusters; wherein the channel assignment manager is configured to determine an overlap weight for a Channel Assignment Cluster; wherein an overlap weight is based on strength of overlap and a level in the spanning tree; and, wherein the channel assignment manager is configured to determine a tier weight for the Channel Assignment Clusters, wherein the tier weight is based on the level in the spanning tree and a traffic load based on relative channel time usage values of radios of the Channel Assignment Clusters.