An integrated circuit (IC) in an unresponsive radio equipment (RE) node includes a common public radio interface (CPRI) controller, a processor, and a system reset controller that includes an L1 (Layer 1) reset controller. The CPRI controller generates a reset request signal based on a CPRI reset request received from an RE controller (REC). The L1 reset controller generates a traffic stop signal based on the reset request signal. The CPRI controller generates a traffic idle signal based on the traffic stop signal. The L1 reset controller receives the traffic idle signal before a predetermined time period and generates a system reset signal for resetting the processor, thereby recovering the unresponsive RE node without disrupting the network topology of a communication system that includes the REC and multiple RE nodes including the unresponsive RE node connected via a CPRI link.