A method and apparatus for connecting to a network in a short-range mobile communication terminal are provided, in which a neighbor terminal information request message is periodically broadcast, a neighbor terminal information response message is received from at least one neighbor short-range mobile communication terminal, an RSSI of the neighbor terminal information response message is measured, the RSSI and neighbor terminal information included in the neighbor terminal information response message are stored for the at least one neighbor short-range mobile communication terminal, a closest neighbor WPAN is determined using the RSSI, a WPAN to join is selected based on the determination, and the selected WPAN is connected to.