A method for configuring at least one device in an Ethernet-based communication network comprising a plurality of devices with Ethernet capability, wherein the topological position of a respective device to be configured, which is associated with a device type, in the communication network is ascertained, the respective device is sent configuration data, which correspond to its device type and to its ascertained topological position, from a database which contains a plurality of configuration data for at least one device type and a plurality of topological positions of the at least one device type, and the respective device is then configured based on the transmitted configuration data.