Review of Networking
The transmission and reception of the token determines the amount of time that any station will have to transmit data during its turn, offering a measure of predictability not available in Ethernet or Fast Ethernet. This predictability also allows Token Ring networks to incorporate special
The predictability of the Token Ring technology also leads to a number of limitations on the number of stations that can be connected to a network and the maximum cable lengths that a signal may be passed across. Since the stations are configured to expect reception of the token at certain increments of time, exceeding the maximum number of stations or the maximum length of cabling between stations can delay the token’s progress, causing the Token Ring network to suffer errors and poor performance.
In order to stretch the capabilities of a Token Ring network, various technologies are available which extend the distance a signal can travel before suffering degradation or loss of signal timing due to cable lengths or high station count.
One method of increasing the resilience of a Token Ring network is the incorporation of what is called “active circuitry.” Token Ring station ports with this active circuitry regenerate, strengthen, and
NOTE |
All Cabletron Systems stackable and standalone Token Ring products incorporate active circuitry on all ports.
Token Ring devices can also extend the distance that a ring can cover through the use of
NOTE |
RI/RO connections are not bridge or switch interfaces. They do not create a new Token Ring network.
Token Ring |
