A system and method for communicating over networks, particularly
generally-linear networks such as a netowrk of railcars in a railway
train. The disclosed system and method include the relaying of packets
which may contain plural messages down a line of nodes. Acknowledgement of
the packets is obtained implicitly by listening to a subsequenct relay of
the packet and retransmission of the packet is effected on a diverse
antenna in the event of non-acknowledgement. Message bandwidth is shared
among the nodes of the system by a message priority system and by the
reservation of portions of a packet for certain types of messages. Message
bandwidth is also shared by the use of groups of nodes as relay
particpiants and by periodically changing the group which is peforming the
relay operations.
