1. A method of distributed averaging on a network having a plurality of nodes in excess of two, comprising: generating a state message at a sending node of the network having a plurality of nodes in excess of two, said state message having a single sending node state value and sending the state message to a receiving node of the network, and only the receiving node; generating a modified value at the receiving node by multiplying the difference of the single sending node state value and a receiving node state value by a receiving node step-wise value; updating the receiving node state value using the modified value; and sending the modified value from the receiving node to the sending node, and only the sending node, in a reply message.