Patent ID: 7907546

Claim:
A method for network communication between a first network port and at least a second network port, comprising: (a) establishing bi-directional communication between the first network port and the second network port using a first set of port setting information; (b) after establishing bi-directional communication, sending a second set of port setting information from the first network port to the second network port; (c) if a response to the second set of port setting information is not received from the second network port within a given duration or if an unacceptable response is received from the second network port, using the first set of port setting information for communication between the first and second network ports; (d) if an acceptable response is received from the second network port, using the second set of port setting information for communication between the first network port and the second network port; and (e) if the first network port and the second network port are in a link recovery state, after the first port sends the second set of port setting information, then the first set of port setting information is used for communication between the first network port and the second network port.