Patent ID: 7496101

Claim:
Method for configuring a network address for a node in a wireless network, the method comprising the following steps: a.) selecting a network address out of an available range of network addresses, b.) start listening for address resolution protocol responses for the selected network address, c.) sending a number of address resolution protocol requests for the selected network address over the network, d.) waiting a defined waiting time for an address resolution protocol response from the network indicating that the selected address is already used by another user, and e.) using the selected network address in case within the defined waiting time no address resolution protocol response is received indicating that the selected address is already used by another node of the same network, characterized in that before step a.) it is decided which network topology out of a plurality of predefined network topologies is used and parameters of steps c.) and d.) including at least the number of address resolution protocol requests and the defined waiting time are adapted according to the decided network topology.