ASSESSMENT IN AN INFORMATION NETWORK

1 . A method for assessing channel performance in a home communication network, the home communication network operable over a plurality of channels, the home communication network comprising a network controller and a plurality of nodes, each of the network controller and the plurality of nodes in communication over a coax backbone, the method comprising;

selecting a channel for assessment;

allocating a first probe operation for use with the plurality of nodes;

in response to the allocating, sending a first probe operation report message from each of the plurality of nodes to the network controller;

in response to receiving the first probe operation report messages, using the network controller to select a node to be a channel assessment operation node;

selecting at least a portion of the plurality of nodes to participate in a channel assessment operation signal exchange; and

moving the selected nodes to a different channel to perform a channel assessment operation on the different channel.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the network controller to replace the channel assessment node with a second channel assessment node from the plurality of nodes.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising using the second channel assessment node to allocate the second probe operation on each of the selected nodes.

4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising providing using a second probe report, from the channel assessment node to the network controller, an estimation of the achievable capacity in the assessed channel.

5 . The method of claim 3 further comprising providing using a second probe report, from the second channel assessment node to the network controller, an estimation of the achievable capacity in the assessed channel.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the network controller to select a third channel for assessment.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said allocating a first probe operation comprises using the network controller to prevent the plurality of nodes from sending information on the network during the first probe operation.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the channel assessment operation node to allocate a second probe operation on each of the selected nodes.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying, in the Media Access Plan (“MAP”), the channel assessment operation as a link state.

10 . A home communication network operable over a plurality of channels, the home communication network comprising:

a network controller;

a plurality of nodes; and

a coax backbone, each of the network controller and the plurality of nodes in communication over the coax backbone, the network controller configured to:

select a channel for assessment;

allocate a first probe operation for use with the plurality of nodes;

wherein each of the plurality of nodes is configured to, in response to the allocating, send a first probe operation report message to the network controller;

wherein, in response to receiving the first probe operation report messages from the plurality of nodes, the network controller is further configured to:

select a node to be a channel assessment operation node;

select at least a portion of the plurality of nodes to participate in a channel assessment operation signal exchange;

move the selected nodes to a different channel to perform a channel assessment operation on the different channel; and

use the channel assessment operation node to allocate a second probe operation on each of the selected nodes.

11 . The system of claim 10 wherein, the network controller is further configured to replace the channel assessment node with a second channel assessment node from the plurality of nodes.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein, the second channel assessment node is configured to allocate the second probe operation on each of the selected nodes.

13 . The system of claim 12 wherein, the channel assessment node is configured to send a second probe report to the network controller, the second probe report comprising a calculated full mesh rate on the different channel.

14 . The system of claim 12 wherein, the second channel assessment node is configured to send a second probe report to the network controller, the second probe report comprising a calculated full mesh rate on the different channel.

15 . The system of claim 10 wherein the network controller is further configured to select a third channel for assessment.

16 . The system of claim 10 wherein the network controller is further configured to prevent the plurality of nodes from sending information on the network during the first probe operation.

17 . The system of claim 10 wherein the channel assessment operation node is further configured to allocate a second probe operation on each of the selected nodes.

18 . The system of claim 10 wherein the network controller is further configured to identify, in a Media Access Plan (“MAP”), the channel assessment operation as a link state.

19 . A method for assessing channel performance in a home communication network, the home communication network operable over a plurality of channels, the home communication network comprising a network controller and a plurality of nodes, each of the network controller and the plurality of nodes in communication over a first channel over a coax backbone, the method comprising;

selecting a second channel for assessment;

allocating a first probe operation for use with at least one of the plurality of nodes;

allocating a transition time for the at least one node to move to the second channel;

maintaining the ability of the at least one node to continue to transmit on the first channel during the transmission time.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising, in response to the allocating a first probe operation, sending a first probe operation report message from the at least one node to the network controller.