Abstract: A heartbeat collision avoidance method and system regulates the access of two or more computers to the data communications path of the local area network by allocating unique transmission slot times to each of the computers on the network in reference to the heartbeat signal which is generated independently of a data transmission. The transmission slot time of each station of the network is determined by initiating a timeout counter circuit which is triggered by the heartbeat signal and which times out at differing times in accordance with a unique address assigned to each of the network stations. The station is permitted to commence a transmission at its slot time provided the time interval between the slot time and the end of the last data transmission exceeds a predetermined interframe spacing interval. In one aspect of the invention the heartbeat signal which triggers the timeout counter circuits associated with each station is generated by a network master station which has the highest station address.