AbstractA layered free access network is proposed. This network is composed of multichannel circuits of bus type, such as LAN, satellite channel, etc., and traffic nodes which access multichannel circuits. By combining the nodes which can access all circuits and the circuits used only by a part of the nodes, a layered network structure can be constructed in accordance with the internode traffic distribution pattern. The number of access equipment in a node is evaluated and the existence of the optimum network configuration for an internode traffic distribution pattern is shown. An algorithm for obtaining the optimum network configuration is presented and an example of the optimum network configuration based on the traffic model is shown.