Systems and methods for assigning default an alternative BSS colors in a wireless local area network (WLAN) including a network graph representing radio neighbors include assigning a frequency range and EIRP for each radio represented in the network graph; generating a subgraph of radios operating at the same frequency range; for the subgraph, determining a minimum number of basic service set (BSS) colors required to BSS color the subgraph without BSS color conflict; based on the minimum number of BSS colors, assigning a default BSS color to each radio in the subgraph to avoid BSS color conflict among radios in the subgraph; based on remaining BSS colors, assigning one or more alternative BSS colors to each radio in the subgraph.