Method for operating a network that has multiple devices , wherein there is provision for each device of the network to have an assigned serial number that comprises multiple bit positions , each bit position having one of two possible bit values, wherein the devices are singularized on the basis of their serial numbers during a check , this involving an order in which the bit positions are checked and a counter with a value k being stipulated, wherein the check is started at the bit position that is to be checked first, - in which a first query for a k-th bit position involves at least one participating device being asked whether the k-th bit position thereof has the first bit value from two possible bit values, and in which a second query for the k-th bit position involves at least one participating device being asked whether the k-th bit position thereof has the second bit value from two possible bit values, - wherein the number of devices that respond to the first query is taken as a basis for deciding whether the check is continued with a second query for the k-th bit position or whether the second query is skipped for the k-th bit position and the check is continued with the first query for a k+1-th bit position, wherein the check is continued with a most recently skipped second query after a device was singularized for a second query , wherein the bit positions (22, 24, 26, 28 that are constant over the serial numbers of all devices are ascertained in a preselection and are then skipped during the check , and performance of a current measurement is used to distinguish whether a query is responded to by no devices , precisely one device or at least two devices , wherein if the first query is responded to by precisely one device , a singularization is performed for this responding device , which means that this now singularized device participates in no further query for the check , wherein if the first query for the k-th bit position is responded to by no devices , the second query for the second bit value is performed for this k-th bit position , wherein if the first query for the k-th bit position is responded to by at least two devices , the value k of the counter is increased by 1 and the first query is performed for a subsequent k+1-th bit position , wherein if the k-th bit position is simultaneously a bit position that is to be checked last, then after the first query for the bit position that is to be checked last, irrespective of how many devices respond, the second query is also performed for the bit position that is to be checked last and the check is then performed at the most recently skipped second query . - in which a first query for a k-th bit position involves at least one participating device being asked whether the k-th bit position thereof has the first bit value from two possible bit values, and in which a second query for the k-th bit position involves at least one participating device being asked whether the k-th bit position thereof has the second bit value from two possible bit values, - wherein the number of devices that respond to the first query is taken as a basis for deciding whether the check is continued with a second query for the k-th bit position or whether the second query is skipped for the k-th bit position and the check is continued with the first query for a k+1-th bit position, <EOS>