Abstract: A system and method for transmitting encoded data in a network is presented. The method begins with a source node of a network encoding a first generation of data using linearly-independent encoding vectors to produce an encoded first generation. Next, packets containing the encoded first generation are created. The packets are then transmitted over a subgraph of nodes with multiple paths to a destination node. A determination is made at a receiving node that an insufficient amount of packets of the encoded first generation have been received in order to decode the encoded first generation. A repair request is sent from the receiving node to nodes upstream to indicate a need for more packets of the encoded first generation without specifying a particular packet. In response to the repair request, at least one node upstream from the receiving node sends a packet with encoded first generation data.