a method for networked communications includes determining a group identifier associated with a received request for multicast data , determining an available upstream bandwidth and an available downstream bandwidth , adding an entry for the identified group into a multicast forwarding table , allocating bandwidth from the available upstream bandwidth and available downstream bandwidth , the allocated bandwidth corresponding to bandwidth required by the requested multicast data , and forwarding the received request to an upstream network destination . the method includes , if no response is received in response to the received request within a designated timeout period , removing the entry for the identified group in the multicast forwarding table , and restoring the allocated bandwidth to the available upstream bandwidth and available downstream bandwidth .