An integrated access and backhaul (IAB) central unit may receive, for a first TAB node, at least one of a first indication of a first capability to provide a cell-specific component of a time difference between a distributed unit transmission of a signal from the first IAB node and a reception of the signal at a child node of the first TAB node (T_delta) or a second indication of a second capability to synchronize with a parent node of the first IAB node based on a received T_delta. The central unit may determine the first capability and the second capability of the first IAB node based on at least one of the first indication or the second indication. The central unit may determine a location of the first IAB node within a network topology based on the first capability and the second capability.