device 10 the netctl protocol utilizes the slp in one of two ways depending on the configuration of the network 2 upon being initially attached to the network the service agent for a device executing the netctl protocol 10 multicasts a request for any available directory agents to contact the service agent the service agent then unicasts a u201c registration u201d message to each responding directory agent the registration message includes a text string identifying the name of the network attached device 10 the device 39 s attributes and the url address giving the device 39 s location on the network 2 the directory agent will subsequently forward this information to the remote control device 4 when the user agent for the remote control device sends out a multicast request for a list of available network devices if the network 2 does not have a directory agent the user agent for the remote control device 4 sends a multicast request out on the network directing service agents which represent devices which possess certain attributes to contact the user agent regardless of which method is used once the remote control device 4 receives the information for a device it wishes to contact it can do so directly by sending messages to the device 39 s url address fig2 depicts an alternative embodiment of the present invention where the remote control device 4 is used in an automobile the environment shown in fig2 includes a car network 12 to which a seat.