Patent ID: 7200153

Claim:
A method, comprising: selecting a first frequency from a plurality of reference frequencies; configuring a first device to align with the first frequency; making a first attempt to phase lock the first device with an incoming data stream; if the first attempt succeeds, then generating a data rate signal corresponding to the first frequency; if the first attempt does not succeed, then selecting a second frequency of the plurality of reference frequencies, configuring the first device to align with the second frequency, making a second attempt to phase lock the first device with an incoming data stream, if the second attempt succeeds, then generating a data rate signal corresponding to the second frequency; if a second device is initially aligned to a Local Area Network (LAN) reference frequency and the reference frequency corresponding to the data rate signal is a WAN reference frequency, then delaying for a time interval, then aligning the second device with the reference frequency corresponding to the data rate signal; and if the second device is initially aligned to a Wide Area Network (WAN) reference frequency, then aligning the second device with the reference frequency corresponding to the data rate signal.