Communication channel transceiver

A transceiver is adapted for communication with another transceiver over a common channel by a technique that allows both transceivers to be identical in manufacture and use. The technique avoids designating one transceiver the "master" and the other the "slave", by relying on random time differences between transmissions during a start-up period that initially establishes communications. The transmissions are typically in multi-bit packets. An example using an optical transceiver having a light emitting diode used for both optical transmission and optical detection is given, wherein the channel is an optical fiber.