Abstract: A method and apparatus enables a Network Access Server in association with a telecommunications switch to route incoming calls only to devices that have an actual connection to the Internet. A set of devices, RPG-Is, reformat incoming data from subscribers to a desired Internet Protocol. Initially, the expected network topology is recorded in memory for later comparison. During operation, each RPG-I attempts to detect the presence of every other expected RPG-I. If the presence of another RPG-I is not detected within a predetermined threshold period, then an alarm is issued. Error alarms are forwarded to application logic of the telecommunications switch so that the switch can avoid connecting a subscriber's call to an inoperable RPG-I. An alarm can also be forwarded to a network operator's terminal.