Method of automatic signaling detection for a high speed communications link

A communications network connected to a plurality of communications lines, said communications network comprising:

• means for detecting the presence of an interface connection to a communications line;
• interface connection initialization means for initializing said interface connection to a signaling protocol, said interface connection initialization means initializing said interface connection to a first signaling protocol upon detection of the presence of said interface connection;
• and
• checking means for checking whether said interface connection has initialized successfully, if said checking means determines that said interface connection has initialized to said first signaling protocol successfully, said interface connection provides communications over said communications line using said first signaling protocol, otherwise, said initialization means initializing said interface connection for a second signaling protocol.

A method of automatically configuring channel interfaces in a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) detecting the presence of a channel interface connected to a communications line;
• b) initializing said channel interface for a first signaling protocol;
• c) checking whether said channel interface has initialized successfully and if said channel interface has initialized successfully, providing communications over said communications line using said first signaling protocol;
• otherwise, d) initializing said interface connection for a second signaling protocol;
• e) checking whether said interface connection has initialized successfully to said second signaling protocol;
• and, if said check indicates that said interface connection has initialized successfully, f) providing communications over said communications line using said second signaling protocol.