A protocol called linear conflict resolution (LCR) for unidirectional broadcast bus networks is introduced. This protocol is shown to be suitable for both LAN (local area network) and MAN (metropolitan area network) environments. LCR combines the benefits of the quick access of the Aloha protocol and the deterministic access of TDMA (time-division multiple access). Not only could the maximum throughput of LCR be increased to near 100% but also the network is stable in that the delay is finite for all the operating conditions. The channel capacity of the LCR protocol is less sensitive to the bus characteristics than most of the existing protocols. Numerical results indicate that LCR exhibits good performance over a wide range of network sizes.>