Patent ID: 7414996

Claim:
A method for controlling a node in a network comprising: storing a network identifier indicative of the network which the node is associated with; receiving messages from other nodes and extracting network identifiers from said messages indicative of the network which the sending node is associated with; comparing the received network identifier with the stored network identifier; carrying out a duplicate address detection process when the stored network identifier is different than the received network identifier; receiving an address request message transmitted from a second node and determining whether such message includes a flag to indicate that a duplicate address detection process is being carried out by the second node as a result of the second node having received a network identifier different than a network identifier stored by it; and initiating a duplicate address detection process in response to the receipt of an address request message including said flag, wherein the start of the duplicate address detection process is deferred for a period of time; and wherein the period of time is determined at random.