This invention pertains to a method for collision avoidance in local Ethernet networks, such as a home automation network, having a personal computer and a plurality of control devices attached. In such a network, when a management message is broadcast from the host personal computer to all connected control devices, each one of such devices must reply with a response to the host computer. There is, however, a probability that responses might collide, leading to data loss. The present invention discloses a method to generate delayed responses to the sender from each control device, where an individual device's delay is computed in accordance to a unique value contained in its MAC address. The method will guarantee different delay times for all attached control devices, and hence a collision-free operation.