Method and Apparatus for the Fast Detection of Connectivity Loss Between Devices in a Network

A method of determining a time interval to be used by a first node in a communication network in detecting loss of connectivity to a second node of die communication network according to a connectivity loss detection protocol, the method comprising:

• receiving, at the first node, a communication from the second node, the communication indicating a setting for the time interval preferred by the second node;
• comparing, at the first node, the setting of die date interval preferred by the second node to a setting of the time interval preferred by the first node;
• when the setting of the time interval preferred by the first node equals the setting of the time interval preferred by the second node, setting at the first node a value of the time interval to be used in the connectivity loss detection protocol to the setting of the time interval, preferred by the first node and the second node;
• when the setting of the time interval preferred by the first node does not or equal to the setting of the time interval preferred by the second node, setting at the first node the value of the time interval to he used in the connectivity loss detection protocol to a larger of the setting of the time interval preferred by the second node and the setting of the time interval preferred by the second node.