A rate selection method for WiFi based wireless sensor devices include storing parameters of communication packets successfully transmitted and received by a wireless device prior to turning off a wireless device, comparing a first set of parameters of a received communication signal to the parameters of the received communication packets and identifying at least one received communication packet of the communication packets based on the comparison of the first set of parameters. The rate selection method also includes comparing a second set of parameters of the received communication signal to the parameters of the identified at least one received communication packet to identify a close received communication packet of the identified at least one received communication packet and identifying a communication rate for current packets communicated by the wireless device based on the comparison of the second set of parameters.