Methods and apparatus are provided for identifying a connection between a reach extender channel termination (RE-CT) and an optical network unit (ONU). A method performed by an optical line terminal (OLT) for identifying a connection between a RE-CT and an ONU includes transmitting, by the OLT, a dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) grant to the ONU via a multi-channel termination reach extender (MCRE), retrieving, by the OLT from the MCRE, recorded optical signal power measurements associated with an upstream transmission by the ONU, and identifying, by the OLT, the RE-CT of the MCRE that is connected to the ONU by correlating the recorded optical signal power measurements associated with the upstream transmission by the ONU with the DBA grant.