Methods are provided for discovering nodes participating in a ring network. According to one embodiment, a ring controller receives a packet containing an arbitration token. If the arbitration token does not arrive within a preselected network timeout period, then the ring controller generates an arbitration token. If the packet contains an arbitration token, then the ring controller checks to see if it was modified by a higher priority node and if not, sets itself as the master node. For each discovery marker in the packet, the ring controller saves topology information associated with the discovery marker. The ring controller adds to the packet a first discovery marker when the packet does not contain a first discovery maker, wherein the first discovery marker includes topology information associated with the node. Finally, the ring controller sends the packet to a next node in the network.