Selective bypassing of daisy-chained network devices

A method for selectively bypassing a daisy-chained device from a wired network, the method comprising:

• providing a first network connector configured to electrically connect to a first wired network port;
• providing a second network connector configured to electrically connect to a second wired network port;
• receiving a series of reset signals;
• electrically disconnecting the first network connector from the second network connector during a predetermined time period following a last of the received reset signals of the series;
• and
• electrically connecting the first network connector to the second network connector after the predetermined time period following the last of the received reset signals of the series.

A switching device for bypassing a daisy-chained network device from a wired network, the device comprising:

• a first network connector configured to connect to a first network port of the daisy-chained network device;
• a second network connector configured to connect to a second network port of the daisy-chained network device;
• a normally-closed switch having a first terminal, a second terminal and a pole, the first terminal electrically connected to the first network connector, the second terminal electrically connected to the second network connector, and the pole, when energized, opening the normally-closed switch such that the first and second terminals are electrically isolated from one another;
• and
• a resettable counter configured to generate a count from an initial count value to a final count value at a predetermined rate when the count is not equal to the final count value, the count being set to the initial count value upon receiving a reset signal, the resettable counter configured to energize the pole of the normally-closed switch in response to the count value being not equal to the final count value and to de-energizes the pole if the count value is equal to the final count value.