Network retransmission protocols using a proxy node

A network having a plurality of nodes operable to communicate over a transmission medium, comprising:

• a source node adapted to transmit a transmission data unit onto the transmission medium;
• a proxy node adapted to selectively transmit a confirmation to other nodes based on whether the transmission data unit is correctly received at the proxy node.

A node adapted to be coupled to a network, comprising:

• reception circuitry adapted to receive a reception data unit from a source node and a confirmation from a proxy node;
• analysis circuitry adapted to analyze the reception data unit to determine whether the reception data unit includes uncorrectable data;
• transmission circuitry adapted to selectively transmit an acknowledgment to other nodes based on whether the reception data unit includes uncorrectable data and further adapted to selectively transmit a negative acknowledgement to the source node based on the confirmation.