In one embodiment, a first network node in a subnet retrieves a network configuration from a second network node located outside the subnet. The first network node communicates with at least one other network node to collect information from inter-node communication packets containing network address information other than an address assignment to the first network node. The first network node determines an available network address based on the network address information contained in the collected inter-node communication packets. The first network node is assigned the available network address and locates a network address for at least one subnet router. The network node accesses the second network node located outside the subnet, using the located network address for the at least one subnet router, for an available network configuration from a list of network configurations. The first network node is assigned the available network configuration.