Abstract: The method effects initialization of successively arranged peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) that are connected in parallel via an interface (S) to a central equipment (ZE) of a communication system. An access permission signal (zs) is forwarded from peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) to peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn). The as yet not initialized peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) addressed by the access permission signal (zs) inhibits the forwarding of the access permission signal (zs) until the access of this peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) to the interface (S), for accepting an address of the peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn), has been ended. The method enables a maximum configuration freedom with respect to the type and plurality of the peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn). An inoperative peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) can additionally be localized and an initialization of all intact peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) can ensue regardless of the position of the peripheral equipment (PE1...PEn) that has failed.