Broadband network for coaxial cable using multi-carrier modulation

A chip for use in a network device, the chip comprising:

• a) a multi-carrier modulator for forming a probe message comprising a preamble, a channel estimation training sequence, and a bit loading training sequence wherein the probe message is formed using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing;
• and
• b) a transmitter for transmitter for transmitting the probe message through the communication channel during an assigned slot in a framing structure that contains multiple slots over coaxial cable.

A network device comprising:

• a) a receiver for receiving probe messages from a sending network device, the probe messages comprising a preamble, a channel estimation training sequence, and a bit loading training sequence, wherein the probe message was formed using OFDM;
• b) a demodulator for demodulating the OFDM probe messages;
• wherein the network device estimates the channel characteristics based upon the received probe messages.