A method of initially establishing communication between a host computer and a device on a local area network, LAN, (100, 200), wherein said method comprises: Transmitting a broadcast discovery request over said network (100, 200), said broadcast request originating at the host computer operatively connected to said network (100, 200); Monitoring said network (100, 200) for responses to said broadcast discovery request from devices (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) connected to said network (100, 200); each response received comprising the IP address of the respective device and if existing, a current alternate IP address of the respective device; displaying a list of said devices that respond to said broadcast discovery request; Selecting manually by a user of the host computer a device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) from said list; Checking whether a primary IP address of the user selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is within a predetermined subnet; Determining that the primary IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is not within the predetermined subnet; Checking whether a current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) exists; Determining that the current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) exists; Checking whether the current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is within said predetermined subnet; Determining that the current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is not within said predetermined subnet; Generating a new alternate IP address; Checking that said new alternate IP address does not already exist on the network; and Assigning said new alternate IP address to said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160); wherein the monitoring, checking, determining, displaying and generating steps are automatically performed at the host computer. Transmitting a broadcast discovery request over said network (100, 200), said broadcast request originating at the host computer operatively connected to said network (100, 200); Monitoring said network (100, 200) for responses to said broadcast discovery request from devices (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) connected to said network (100, 200); each response received comprising the IP address of the respective device and if existing, a current alternate IP address of the respective device; displaying a list of said devices that respond to said broadcast discovery request; Selecting manually by a user of the host computer a device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) from said list; Checking whether a primary IP address of the user selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is within a predetermined subnet; Determining that the primary IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is not within the predetermined subnet; Checking whether a current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) exists; Determining that the current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) exists; Checking whether the current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is within said predetermined subnet; Determining that the current alternate IP address of said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160) is not within said predetermined subnet; Generating a new alternate IP address; Checking that said new alternate IP address does not already exist on the network; and Assigning said new alternate IP address to said selected device (110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160); wherein the monitoring, checking, determining, displaying and generating steps are automatically performed at the host computer.