Methods for propagating a network topology model of a binary tree topology network through a network, the network including a root node and leaf nodes, networked together to provide a communications path for data, each of the nodes except the root node being docked downtree of a parent node, and each of the nodes docked uptree of a first child node and a second child node, each of the at least one leaf nodes having none of the plurality of nodes docked downtree of and therewith. Each of the leaf nodes provides a propagate network topology model message containing the address of the providing leaf node to the parent node docked uptree of and with the providing leaf node. Each node receiving the message forms a network topology model representing a path from the receiving node to each one of the plurality of nodes downtree of the receiving node.