One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates registration of remote nodes in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON). The system includes a central node and at least one remote node, wherein a number of virtual remote nodes are coupled to a common physical remote node and transmit upstream data through a common transmitter within the common physical remote node. During an initial discovery cycle, the system receives a solicitation message from the central node at a remote node, wherein the solicitation message assigns a discovery slot in which an unregistered remote node may transmit a response message to the central node for registration. The system then transmits a response message from an unregistered remote node to register within the assigned discovery slot. If multiple virtual remote nodes coupled to the common physical remote node seek registration concurrently, the system controls the transmission of response messages from these virtual remote nodes to the central node so as to avoid collisions between response messages from different remote nodes.