Abstract: A method of automatically detecting delay due to cable length between network nodes coupled to a two-wire communication bus of a network. The method includes establishing, by a first node of the network, a first specified delay value of a variable delay setting; discovering a next node on the communication bus using a variable delay setting including the delay setting established at the first specified delay value; after discovering the next node, changing the variable delay setting until the next node drops off the communication bus at a second specified delay value of the variable delay setting; and setting a communication delay setting between the first node and the next node using the first and second specified delay values.