Delay times are modified in Ethernet network devices by adding an integer multiple of a delay interval to the minimum interpacket gap (IPG) interval, and decrementing the integer in each network station in response to detected activity on the media. Each station has a unique integer value from the range of zero to the number of stations (N) minus one. The unique integer value ensures that each station has a different delay interval in accessing the media after sensing deassertion of the receive carrier. The station having a zero integer value will have its integer counter reset to (N-1) after a station transmits a data packet on the network, and the stations having nonzero integer values decrement their respective integer counters. Each network station also includes a deferral timer that counts the maximum delay interval of (N-1) delay intervals plus the minimum IPG value, and thus establishes a bounded access latency for a half-duplex shared network.