Patent ID: 8094550

Claim:
A method of controlling network communication parameters employed by two or more information handling systems communicating as network nodes over a network communication link, comprising: selecting and associating an inter-packet gap (IPG) with a first frame at a first one of said network nodes, a length of said IPG being selected to specify a subset of selected network communication parameter/s from a set of available network communication parameters to be used by said two or more network nodes to communicate with each other over said network communication link, and transmitting said first frame across said network communication link from said first one of said network nodes to a second one of said network nodes; receiving said first frame at said second one of said network nodes; determining said length of said IPG associated with said first frame at said second one of said network nodes; and employing said specified subset of selected network communication parameter/s at said second one of said network nodes for communication back with said first one of said network nodes over said network communications link based on and in response to said determined length of said IPG associated with said received first frame; the specified subset of selected network communication parameter/s comprising a feature of said network communication link or protocol used by said network communication link to communicate between said two or more network nodes across said network communication link and that defines at least one of interface capability characteristics, data rate characteristics, data structure characteristics, or a combination thereof.