A method of operating a lighting system, the lighting system being configured to be coupled to a control network and comprising a plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) and at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B), wherein the control network is an Ethernet-based network, the method being characterized by including the steps of - providing a network switch that comprises a plurality of ports for coupling devices to the network switch, wherein the devices belong to the plurality of luminaires and the at least one of a sensor and an actuator, wherein the network switch is an Ethernet switch, Ethernet bridge, or an Ethernet IP router, or a combination thereof; and - configuring the network switch by defining a first port group for coupling one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) and the at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B) to the network switch, wherein the first port group comprises two or more ports of the plurality of ports, wherein the step of defining a port group comprises the definition of a Virtual Local Area Network or the use of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol; - coupling the at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B) to a first port of the first port group; - coupling the one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) to one or more respective ports of the remaining ports of the first port group; - receiving, at the first port, an output signal from the at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B) coupled to the first port; - forwarding, by the network switch, the received output signal, to the one or more remaining ports of the first port group; - receiving, by the one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) coupled to the one or more of the respective remaining ports of the first port group, the forwarded output signal; and - setting, by the one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) coupled to the one or more of the respective remaining ports of the first port group, a respective light intensity; wherein the output signal is a broadcast or multicast message; wherein the broadcast or multicast message received at the first port of the first port group from the at least one of a sensor and an actuator is only forwarded to the one or more remaining ports of the first port group, and thereby to the devices connected to those ports, and wherein the first port group does not comprise one or more reserved ports of the plurality of ports; wherein the one or more reserved ports of the network switch are reserved for interconnecting further network switches (200, 202) and/or for connecting a network controller of the control network. - providing a network switch that comprises a plurality of ports for coupling devices to the network switch, wherein the devices belong to the plurality of luminaires and the at least one of a sensor and an actuator, wherein the network switch is an Ethernet switch, Ethernet bridge, or an Ethernet IP router, or a combination thereof; and - configuring the network switch by defining a first port group for coupling one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) and the at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B) to the network switch, wherein the first port group comprises two or more ports of the plurality of ports, wherein the step of defining a port group comprises the definition of a Virtual Local Area Network or the use of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol; - coupling the at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B) to a first port of the first port group; - coupling the one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) to one or more respective ports of the remaining ports of the first port group; - receiving, at the first port, an output signal from the at least one of a sensor and an actuator (324A; 324B) coupled to the first port; - forwarding, by the network switch, the received output signal, to the one or more remaining ports of the first port group; - receiving, by the one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) coupled to the one or more of the respective remaining ports of the first port group, the forwarded output signal; and - setting, by the one or more of the plurality of luminaires (322A,..., 322D) coupled to the one or more of the respective remaining ports of the first port group, a respective light intensity; wherein the output signal is a broadcast or multicast message; wherein the broadcast or multicast message received at the first port of the first port group from the at least one of a sensor and an actuator is only forwarded to the one or more remaining ports of the first port group, and thereby to the devices connected to those ports, and wherein the first port group does not comprise one or more reserved ports of the plurality of ports; wherein the one or more reserved ports of the network switch are reserved for interconnecting further network switches (200, 202) and/or for connecting a network controller of the control network.