COMMUNICATIONS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

摘要

A method and system detects a network connection in a communications system, such as a narrowband communications system, using Virtual Local Area Network identification (1517c). In one embodiment, a first node (260) transmits a message to a specific second node (350) among a group of second nodes (350). The message (1515) from the first node includes a source Medium Access Control address (1517b), a broadcast address (1517a), and a unique VLAN identification (1517c) corresponding to a port on the first node (260). The specific second node (350) processes the message (1515), and then transmits its own MAC address (1527a) to the first node (260), along with the unique VLAN identification (1517c) received in the original message (1515) from the first node (260). The first node (260) then updates stored information about the second node (350) and uses the information in future communications (1530) to the second node.