Patent ID: 7068609

Claim:
A wired Ethernet communication device operable to communicate via a wired Ethernet link with an Ethernet link partner, the wired Ethernet communication device comprising: Ethernet transceiver circuitry operable to support communications with the Ethernet link partner at a plurality of rates including a lowest rate and a plurality of higher rates; an abilities register operable to store information regarding the plurality of higher rates; and auto negotiation circuitry communicatively coupled to the Ethernet transceiver circuitry and to the abilities register, the auto negotiation circuitry operable to: access the abilities register to read the information regarding the plurality of higher rates; write a supported rates variable with the information regarding the plurality of higher rates read from the abilities register; write a qualified supported rates variable with the contents of the supported rates variable; access at least one downgrade indication variable; when the at least one downgrade indication variable indicates a higher rates downgrade, alter the qualified supported rates variable based upon the downgrade indication variable; and perform auto negotiation with the Ethernet link partner based upon the qualified supported rates variable.