A cable network facilitates communication between a CMTS and cable modems over a plurality of channels. The Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) protocol access system for load balancing in a cable network transmits a change request directing movement of a cable modem to a different channel. The change request indicates an initialization technique for the cable modem to perform once synchronized to the different channel(s). If the cable modem is not successfully initialized on the different channel or channel set, the CMTS is configured to iteratively transmit subsequent retry requests. The subsequent retry requests may indicate an initialization technique based on a list of initialization techniques.