An apparatus comprising: a wired network including a plurality of network branches (120,130,140,150) each having a common wire-based pathway; a plurality of network devices (122,124,132,142,144,152) connected to the network branches; a plurality of time-slot communication schedules respectively stored and accessible by each of the network devices, the plurality of time-slot communication schedules designating time slots during which each network device is assigned to communicate over one of the plurality of network branches; and a central communication circuit having data-coupling circuitry (112,113,114,115) configured and arranged for communicatively coupling data between the central communication circuit and each of the plurality of network devices through respective ones of the plurality of network branches, data-logic circuitry configured and arranged to, using stored communication protocol data, evaluate received configuration data and specifying a communication schedule by which the data-logic circuitry is to couple the data between the central communication circuit and the plurality of network devices, in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule does not comply with the stored communication protocol data, generate and communicate an output indicative of the non-compliance, and in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule complies with the stored communication protocol data, store and use the communication schedule to forward communications that are received from network devices to other of the network devices via the data-coupling circuitry, according to time slots specified in the stored communication schedule. a wired network including a plurality of network branches (120,130,140,150) each having a common wire-based pathway; a plurality of network devices (122,124,132,142,144,152) connected to the network branches; a plurality of time-slot communication schedules respectively stored and accessible by each of the network devices, the plurality of time-slot communication schedules designating time slots during which each network device is assigned to communicate over one of the plurality of network branches; and a central communication circuit having data-coupling circuitry (112,113,114,115) configured and arranged for communicatively coupling data between the central communication circuit and each of the plurality of network devices through respective ones of the plurality of network branches, data-logic circuitry configured and arranged to, using stored communication protocol data, evaluate received configuration data and specifying a communication schedule by which the data-logic circuitry is to couple the data between the central communication circuit and the plurality of network devices, in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule does not comply with the stored communication protocol data, generate and communicate an output indicative of the non-compliance, and in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule complies with the stored communication protocol data, store and use the communication schedule to forward communications that are received from network devices to other of the network devices via the data-coupling circuitry, according to time slots specified in the stored communication schedule. data-coupling circuitry (112,113,114,115) configured and arranged for communicatively coupling data between the central communication circuit and each of the plurality of network devices through respective ones of the plurality of network branches, data-logic circuitry configured and arranged to, using stored communication protocol data, evaluate received configuration data and specifying a communication schedule by which the data-logic circuitry is to couple the data between the central communication circuit and the plurality of network devices, in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule does not comply with the stored communication protocol data, generate and communicate an output indicative of the non-compliance, and in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule complies with the stored communication protocol data, store and use the communication schedule to forward communications that are received from network devices to other of the network devices via the data-coupling circuitry, according to time slots specified in the stored communication schedule. using stored communication protocol data, evaluate received configuration data and specifying a communication schedule by which the data-logic circuitry is to couple the data between the central communication circuit and the plurality of network devices, in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule does not comply with the stored communication protocol data, generate and communicate an output indicative of the non-compliance, and in response to the evaluation indicating that the communication schedule complies with the stored communication protocol data, store and use the communication schedule to forward communications that are received from network devices to other of the network devices via the data-coupling circuitry, according to time slots specified in the stored communication schedule.