Patent ID: 8724464

Claim:
A method for networking, comprising: determining, by a network device that is coupled to a network link, a data rate for traffic that is transmitted over said network link by said network device; and adjusting, by said network device during active operation of said network link, a transmission data rate used by said network device on said network link based on said determined data rate, said adjusting being based on a selection of a unique set of values for a plurality of transmission mode variables, wherein a first of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a signal constellation variable having a first defined range of constellation sizes that corresponds to a first range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said first transmission mode variable, said first defined range of constellation sizes including a first signal constellation and a second signal constellation that is used with a disabled error correction function, said second signal constellation being smaller than said first signal constellation, and wherein a second of said plurality of transmission mode variables has a second defined range of values that corresponds to a second range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said second transmission mode variable, wherein said adjusting of said transmission data rate reduces a power consumption of said network device.