A method comprising: performing, for one or more link bit rates of a plurality of link bit rates configured for a fronthaul network, Common Public Radio Interface, CPRI, Layer 1 link auto-negotiation operations to establish a CPRI link between a radio equipment controller and a radio equipment of the fronthaul network, the CPRI Layer 1 link auto-negotiation operations comprising: achieving, by a proxy slave, a hyper frame number synchronization with the radio equipment controller at a link bit rate for a first CPRI bit stream transmitted by the radio equipment controller; communicating the first CPRI bit stream and the link bit rate from the proxy slave to a proxy master; transmitting, by the proxy master, the first CPRI bit stream to the radio equipment at the link bit rate and the radio equipment attempting to achieve a hyper frame number synchronization with the first CPRI bit stream; upon the radio equipment achieving the hyper frame number synchronization, the radio equipment communicating a second CPRI bit stream to the proxy master at the link bit rate; upon the proxy master achieving a hyper frame number synchronization with the radio equipment for the second CPRI bit stream transmitted by the radio equipment at the link bit rate, communicating the second CPRI bit stream from the proxy master to the proxy slave; and transmitting, by the proxy slave, the second CPRI bit stream to the radio equipment controller, wherein the Layer 1 link auto-negotiation operations are completed and the CPRI link is established between the radio equipment controller and the radio equipment when the radio equipment controller achieves a hyper frame number synchronization for the second CPRI bit stream transmitted by the proxy slave at the link bit rate. performing, for one or more link bit rates of a plurality of link bit rates configured for a fronthaul network, Common Public Radio Interface, CPRI, Layer 1 link auto-negotiation operations to establish a CPRI link between a radio equipment controller and a radio equipment of the fronthaul network, the CPRI Layer 1 link auto-negotiation operations comprising: achieving, by a proxy slave, a hyper frame number synchronization with the radio equipment controller at a link bit rate for a first CPRI bit stream transmitted by the radio equipment controller; communicating the first CPRI bit stream and the link bit rate from the proxy slave to a proxy master; transmitting, by the proxy master, the first CPRI bit stream to the radio equipment at the link bit rate and the radio equipment attempting to achieve a hyper frame number synchronization with the first CPRI bit stream; upon the radio equipment achieving the hyper frame number synchronization, the radio equipment communicating a second CPRI bit stream to the proxy master at the link bit rate; upon the proxy master achieving a hyper frame number synchronization with the radio equipment for the second CPRI bit stream transmitted by the radio equipment at the link bit rate, communicating the second CPRI bit stream from the proxy master to the proxy slave; and transmitting, by the proxy slave, the second CPRI bit stream to the radio equipment controller, achieving, by a proxy slave, a hyper frame number synchronization with the radio equipment controller at a link bit rate for a first CPRI bit stream transmitted by the radio equipment controller; communicating the first CPRI bit stream and the link bit rate from the proxy slave to a proxy master; transmitting, by the proxy master, the first CPRI bit stream to the radio equipment at the link bit rate and the radio equipment attempting to achieve a hyper frame number synchronization with the first CPRI bit stream; upon the radio equipment achieving the hyper frame number synchronization, the radio equipment communicating a second CPRI bit stream to the proxy master at the link bit rate; upon the proxy master achieving a hyper frame number synchronization with the radio equipment for the second CPRI bit stream transmitted by the radio equipment at the link bit rate, communicating the second CPRI bit stream from the proxy master to the proxy slave; and transmitting, by the proxy slave, the second CPRI bit stream to the radio equipment controller, wherein the Layer 1 link auto-negotiation operations are completed and the CPRI link is established between the radio equipment controller and the radio equipment when the radio equipment controller achieves a hyper frame number synchronization for the second CPRI bit stream transmitted by the proxy slave at the link bit rate.