A processor-implemented method is provided for determining reachable pins functionally connected to a network of a netlist that describes a programmable logic device (PLD) design. A netlist and an identification of the network in the netlist are input. Characterization data is input for one or more repeater modules that specify a first set of functionally connected pins of the repeater module. A second set is initialized with the pins of the network. For each pin in the second set that is one of the functionally connected pins of a first set, an additional pin may be added to the second set for each of the pins of a network for each of the functionally connected pins. The adding is repeated for each additional pin added to the second set. A specification of the pins from the second set is output as the reachable pins.