Described herein are processes related to discovering and establishing suitable multi-hop communication paths for (endpoint) user equipments (UEs). A network-initiated discovery and path selection processes may utilize periodically transmitted reference signals along with optional assistance information. A network node, such an eNodeB, and other relaying-capable nodes, such as relay UEs, may transmit periodic reference signals. Based on these transmitted reference signals and optional assistance information, the relay UEs and/or an endpoint node (e.g., the eNodeB or the endpoint UE) may make a selection decision for previous hop paths for communication. The endpoint UE or the eNodeB may make the selection decision for the end-to-end path in order to provide coverage extension for the end UE using multi-hop transmission paths.