A method of transitioning a port in a communication system from an active state to a standby state includes the steps of transmitting a signal to transition the port to the standby state, and, upon transmission of the signal to transition the port to the standby state, transitioning the port from the active state into the standby state without entering a suspended state. The port may be a physical layer interface port and the communication system may be an IEEE 1394-compliant communication system.