Abstract: A complete collision avoidance contention resolution protocol is provided for networks with stations communicating over a shared access communication medium. The protocol is used where a physical layer connected to the communication medium uses a carrier modulation scheme with multiple frequencies. Stations on the network that desire access to the communication medium use a carrier modulation scheme with multiple frequencies. Stations that desire access simultaneously transmit a single frequency selected at random from a set of physical layer frequencies during an open-contention-interval. At the same time, the stations listen to a combined frequency signal and analyzes it for frequency content. If one station whose own frequency matches the highest frequency signal in the combined signal, the station gains access to a communication medium. If more than one station have the same highest frequency signal in the combined signal, no station gains access to the medium.