In a wireless network discovery operation, before a WiFi station sends a network probe request in a WiFi network to request for network information it needs to connect to an access point, it first listens to communications on a current channel of the WiFi network for a preset period of time. When the WiFi station receives on the current channel a network probe request message sent by another WiFi station, it further delays sending the first network probe request by a second time period, in anticipation of some signals from the access point. If during the second time period a network discovery message from the access point, such as a probe response or a beacon message, is detected and that message contains the network information needed, the WiFi station cancels the sending of its probe request. Otherwise, the WiFi station sends its probe request after the second time period expires.