def start_handshake(self, timeout):
if not self.__timer:<EOL><INDENT>self.__timer = threading.Timer(float(timeout), self.read_timer)<EOL>self.__timer.start()<EOL><DEDENT>
Tells `Packetizer` that the handshake process started.
Starts a book keeping timer that can signal a timeout in the
handshake process.

:param float timeout: amount of seconds to wait before timing out