Abstract: A method of providing medium access control for a wireless mobile ad hoc network includes defining a TDMA network timing frame including a data (DATA) zone having one or more time slots structured to support multiuser detection (MUD) of concurrent transmissions during each slot, a negative acknowledgment (NACK) zone during which nodes transmit requests for retransmission of packets destined to but not successfully received by the nodes, a broadcast (BC) zone during which network management messages are broadcast to the nodes, and a control (CTRL) zone. A primary master (PM) node is selected and operates as a source of network time for all the nodes. Each node synchronizes its time to that of the PM node during the CTRL zone in a distributed manner, by exchanging control messages with the PM node or other nodes located one or more hops from the PM node.