Abstract: A method and device are provided. The electronic device includes a main circuit board that includes first and second edges and first and second sets of conductive traces. The device includes a memory to store program instructions. The processor, responsive to the program instructions, manages transfer of a digital content signal over the first and second sets of conductive traces. The device includes first and second codecs are coupled to the first and second edges, respectively. The first and second codecs are connected to the first and second sets of conductive traces, respectively. The first and second codecs convert the digital content signal into an analog content signal. The device includes first and second analog outputs coupled to the first and second codecs, respectively. The first and second analog outputs to output the analog content signal.

Abstract: A method and corresponding network interface device for communicating between devices connected to a LAN includes attempting to communicate between the network devices over an initial subset of the network media wires. If the communication fails, a subsequent subset of media wires is selected. The wires of this subsequent subset differ from the wires of the initial subset. If the attempted communication succeeds, the current subset of network media wires is used as the media over which subsequent network data is transmitted. Attempting to communicate over the media may include sending an initialization sequence such as an Ethernet Auto-negotiate sequence. In one embodiment, the network media is implemented as 8 wires of CAT 5 cabling suitable for use with a Gigabit Ethernet. In this embodiment, any subsequent subsets of the network media wires may consist of 4 of the 8 wires over which 100 Mbps Ethernet operation may occur.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of verifying an interface address are provided. A communication device is connected to a network. The apparatus, system and method query the communication device for an interface address identifying the communication device to the network. The apparatus, system, and method further receive the interface address from the communication device and identify an invalid interface address. In one embodiment, the interface address is invalid if it is outside of a specified interface address range. The apparatus, system, and method mitigate the invalid interface address. In one embodiment, the apparatus, system, and method mitigate the invalid interface address by deactivating the network.