A method and an apparatus for operating a Basic Service Set (BSS) are disclosed. A method involves announcing, by a first wireless device to a second wireless device, a BSS operating channel, wherein the first wireless device has at least one of a first transmission power capability and a first bandwidth capability, the second wireless device has at least one of a second transmission power capability that is less than the first transmission power capability and a second bandwidth capability that is narrower than the first bandwidth capability, and wherein the BSS operating channel is at least one of a punctured operating channel and an unpunctured operating channel, associating, by the second wireless device, with the first wireless device via the announcement of the BSS operating channel from the first wireless device, and exchanging frames between the first wireless device and the second wireless device in the BSS operating channel.