A wired communications device configured to: receive a spread-spectrum timing-reference signal through a wired communications medium, from a second wired communications device; detect a code-phase of the received timing-reference signal; and transmit data to the second device through the wired communications medium, with a timing that is defined relative to the detected code-phase. Also provided is a master device configured to communicate with the wired communications device. The master device is configured to generate and transmit a spread-spectrum timing-reference signal to one or more first devices, through a wired communications medium and to receive, through the wired communications medium, data transmitted by the one or more first devices.