Stream reservation protocol for bridged networks

In one embodiment, a Talker device issues a Talker declaration for a stream. The Talker declaration has a declaration type that advertises the Talker device is offering the stream, and includes a stream ID that uniquely identifies the stream, an indication of resource requirements of the stream, and an indication of a priority of data frames belonging to the stream. The Talker device receives a Listener Declaration from a Listener device of one or more Listener devices. The Listener declaration includes the same stream ID as the Talker declaration and has a declaration type that indicates at least one Listener device is ready to receive the stream and that sufficient resources to meet the resource requirements of the stream have been allocated at one or more intervening bridges that received both the Talker declaration and the Listener declaration. In response the received Listener declaration, transmission of the stream is begun.