Disclosed is a method and apparatus for improved self-healing in a mobile ad-hoc wireless network in which network communication functions are divided into a plurality of functional layers. The system utilizes cross-layer self-healing techniques. Network data from at least one of the functional layers is stored, for example in a storage unit of the network node. The stored network data is then used to modify the functioning of at least one of the other layers. In one embodiment, a management module manages the storage and use of the network data. In particular embodiments, the stored network data relates to successful transmission rates and/or clear channel rates, and this stored data is used to adjust the transmission power of the network node. In another embodiment, the stored data may be used to generate a table of interchangeable network nodes, which may then be used to reroute a data packet to a network node other than an originally specified destination node. In yet another embodiment, the stored data may be used to generate a list of recent neighbor nodes, which data may be used to reroute data packets to intermediate network nodes.