A bridged network system (10, 10'). The system comprises a plurality of bridge nodes (BRN.sub.x). Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is connected to communicate with at least one other neighboring bridge node in the plurality of nodes. Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes comprises circuitry (BP.sub.y.z) for communicating with at least one of either another bridge node in the plurality of nodes or a network server. Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes further comprises circuitry for storing (neighbor-tracking table), as received from the at least one of another bridge node in the plurality of nodes and the network server, at least one spanning tree parameter of a neighboring bridge node.