Patent ID: 8611235

Claim:
A method, comprising: estimating a length of a wired network connection deployed and extending between a first network entity and a second network entity, the network connection configured to carry an Ethernet signal between the first and second network entities; determining whether the estimated network connection length deviates from a predetermined threshold range; modifying, by an Ethernet transceiver at the first network entity, a signal amplitude of the Ethernet signal when it is determined that the estimated network connection length deviates from the predetermined threshold range to increase the signal amplitude when the estimated network connection length exceeds the predetermined threshold range and to decrease the signal amplitude when the estimated network connection length is less than the predetermined threshold range determining a bit error rate on the network connection; determining whether the estimated bit error rate is above or below a predetermined bit error rate; modifying, by the Ethernet transceiver at the first network entity, a signal amplitude of the Ethernet signal to increase the signal amplitude when the bit error rate exceeds the predetermined bit error rate and to decrease the signal amplitude when the bit error rate is less than the predetermined bit error rate; and providing a notification to the second network entity in band over the wired network connection.