Method for the operation and expansion of a network of lights including the steps of: - providing a network of lights comprising a plurality of street lights and a plurality of control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28'), each street light having a control module allocated thereto and adapted to control the operation thereof, each control module comprising: - one long-distance communication module, - one short-distance communication module, - a geocoordinate module, - a controller, and - a control output adapted to control a driver of the street light allocated to said control module; - providing at least one server reachable via the long-distance communication module of each control module; characterized in that the at least one server divides the control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28') into multiple control module groups (A,B) based on at least one of environmental, light and control module information provided by the control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28'); in that the at least one server selects one of the control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28') of each group (A,B) as a group controller (2,23',28'), with which all other control modules (1,23,28) of the respective group (A,B) can communicate via their short-distance communication modules, wherein each control module of the network is allocated to a group in normal operation; and in that the method includes the steps of: - forming a short-distance network with the control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28') within each group via their corresponding short-distance communication modules; - transmitting, from each control module (1, 23, 28), other than the group controller, via its respective short-distance communication module at least one of its environmental, light and control module information to the group controller (2, 23', 28') of the respective group; - transmitting during normal network operation, from each group controller (2,23',28,') of a respective group at least one of its own environmental, light and control module information, and, the corresponding information received from the other control modules (1, 23, 28) of the respective group to the at least one server; the method comprising the following further steps: - at first commissioning and starting-up of a new control module, said new control module registering its geographic coordinates and a time stamp thereof by means of its geocoordinate module; - said new control module logging in with a network provider, via its long-distance communication module; and - said new control module transmitting to the at least one server said geographic coordinates and time stamp together with at least one of its light and control module information. - providing a network of lights comprising a plurality of street lights and a plurality of control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28'), each street light having a control module allocated thereto and adapted to control the operation thereof, each control module comprising: - one long-distance communication module, - one short-distance communication module, - a geocoordinate module, - a controller, and - a control output adapted to control a driver of the street light allocated to said control module; - one long-distance communication module, - one short-distance communication module, - a geocoordinate module, - a controller, and - a control output adapted to control a driver of the street light allocated to said control module; - providing at least one server reachable via the long-distance communication module of each control module; - forming a short-distance network with the control modules (1,2,23,23',28,28') within each group via their corresponding short-distance communication modules; - transmitting, from each control module (1, 23, 28), other than the group controller, via its respective short-distance communication module at least one of its environmental, light and control module information to the group controller (2, 23', 28') of the respective group; - transmitting during normal network operation, from each group controller (2,23',28,') of a respective group at least one of its own environmental, light and control module information, and, the corresponding information received from the other control modules (1, 23, 28) of the respective group to the at least one server; the method comprising the following further steps: - at first commissioning and starting-up of a new control module, said new control module registering its geographic coordinates and a time stamp thereof by means of its geocoordinate module; - said new control module logging in with a network provider, via its long-distance communication module; and - said new control module transmitting to the at least one server said geographic coordinates and time stamp together with at least one of its light and control module information.