Response time detection in a network having shared interfaces

A method that includes activating and deactivating two counts between an active state and not an active state such that no more than one count at a time is in an active state. The method also includes receiving a request packet of information that requires a reply and incrementing the count that is in an active state, and setting a flag in the request packet of information that requires a reply, the flag being set to correspond to the count that is in the active state. The method further includes receiving a reply packet of information corresponding to a previously received request packet of information, the reply packet of information having a flag setting corresponding to the previously received request packet of information, and decrementing the count that corresponds to the flag setting of the reply packet of information. A network is also disclosed.