Abstract: A computer network, and preferably a network concentrator, with a bidirectional serial channel. A plurality of devices on the channel are identified by addresses. The devices are divided into device groups and a device in one group can have an address which is identical to a device in another group. A management processor communicates with the individual devices by digital signaling through an analog multiplexer. The management processor decides which device group to communicate with, and then either generates a selection signal, or sends a data packet to a device register to generate a selection signal which causes the analog multiplexer to connect the bidirectional serial channel of the management processor to the bidirectional serial channel of the proper device group.