an optical communications system and method for point - to - point high bandwidth communications are disclosed . the system and method of the present invention employ intelligent , adaptive software to establish and maintain over time a communications link between two or more optical devices without the need for wiring or additional hardware . in one embodiment , beam position information is relayed between optical devices to maintain alignment of the beam . the use of weighted data quality measurements optimizes the acquisition and maintenance of the optical communications link . beam drift and movement are counteracted with the application of forces to one or more of the optical devices . the system is a cost - effective optical communications system capable of providing network connectivity in an enterprise environment ; ease of initial deployment ; adequate security ; safety ; ease of reconfiguration ; and useful communication range