State machine handling at a proxy node in an ethernet-based fronthaul network

A system comprising:

• at least one memory element for storing data;
• and
• at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the system to perform operations, comprising:
• performing, by a proxy node of a fronthaul network, negotiation operations associated with establishing a Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) communication link between radio devices of the fronthaul network, wherein the negotiation operations comprise Layer 1 synchronization operations and Radio over Ethernet (RoE) validation operations for one or more link bit rates and the RoE validation operations include determining, by the proxy node, consistent RoE frame length and consistent packet counter increment values for a plurality of RoE frames obtained by the proxy node for a predetermined number of hyper-frames;
• and
• facilitating communications between the radio devices at a matching link bit rate upon completion of the negotiation operations.