Abstract: A network discovery method includes: sending, by a master node in a logical root hierarchy level of a data network, a discovery message including a forwarding counter to a first slave node in the data network first logical hierarchy level via a child port; increasing, by the first neighboring slave node, the forwarding counter; forwarding the discovery message with the increased forwarding counter to a second slave node in the first logical hierarchy level; receiving, by the first and second slave nodes, context information from the master node regarding the identities of the master node and the child port; determining, by the first and second slave nodes, its own functional designation based on the forwarding counter and the received context information by comparison with a mapping table; and updating the mapping table by matching the recorded functional designation in the mapping table with the first and slave node identities.