Message handling in a local area network including switches and clients is provided. At least one of the switches is a peer switch that is capable of monitoring a status of another switch, and at least one switch connects the clients redundantly. A station announcement message is sent by the peer switch for at least one client of the other switch. In each station message announcement, there is inserted a source address of the other switch. The other switches handle the station message announcement as though the station message announcement came from the client.