Does anyone know anything about this type of network architecture? It supports the same speeds as Ethernet but differs in architecture.

I have a shot at getting a bunch of Token Ring LAN cards free and had thought about messing with it a bit. Can you interface a token ring network with a standard Ethernet network? Will Token ring adapters work in XP? I've done a little research into it and looked at routers and hardware to support it on the Intarwebs and it isn't really all THAT expensive as it was hyped to be.

Token Ring will be a bitch... It went out of the mainstream over 10 years ago. It uses a thick cable similar to coaxial cable but is more flexible. You have to terminate any dead ends in the cable with a terminator or else the network will drop. It does not use an RJ45 connector so you would be pretty much out of luck connecting it to any new equipment unless you have a bridge type of device.


You would have better success with stripping with jacket off the wire and selling the metal...

There is also Token Ring over twisted pair cables. But without the proper switches the cards are useless. Token Ring uses a Star Topology, does 4 or 16mbit/sec. You must use TR switches, and would require a router to interface with Ethernet.

In other words, they ain't worth jack unless you could sell them to a museum.

Then how come there is an RJ45 jack on them?

Quote: Originally Posted by j-dogg Then how come there is an RJ45 jack on them?

The real old school token rings used BNC connectors prior to the RJ45 (until now, i had not seen the rj45 version...)
http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/...s/TOKENRNG.GIF

http://www.omnicorp.net/images/jetdirbn.jpg
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thu...d_on_black.jpg

What the topology looks like...
http://www.millbury.k12.ma.us/hs/techrepair/ring.gif

Although the token ring architecture may be old, it is a very reliable one. A token ring, by modern terms, is typically cabled in a physical star layout like much of today's networks, but operates as a logical ring. Though they are slower than some of today's network architectures, Dicknervous is correct on the various speeds token ring supports.

In a token ring, all the computers in the network are guaranteed equal bandwidth by the passing of a token. A token is passed around the network. When a computer receives this packet, it examines it, and if it is being used to transmit data, it sends it down the line until it reaches its final destination. At that point, the receiving computer changes the token to show that it is not in use and sends it to the next computer down the line. If the next computer has data to send, it attaches it to the token and sends it along. If a computer does not have data to send, the token is passed around until it is needed.

ADD-
Most wireless routers use a logical ring, or "token" ring topology within their internal radio because only one wireless device can communicate with the router at a time. The ring topology ensures all of the devices have a fair share at the bandwidth.

Token ring Networks require a special router as well. Other than the fact to get to play with it, do you really need it. Even the faster 16MB ones were slow. The no single point of connection is hard to troubleshoot too. when it crashes the only way to ind what computer hasn't received the token yet, is to check event logs. They are extreme PITA, in all my experience with them.

The BNC connectors used standard coax with a extra layer of insulation, it was pretty thick stuff, but they do use flat RJ45, and twisted pair cables. But they arent as reliable as the classic BNC stuff...

Wireless uses a similar type of connection, but most AP's can connect to multiple computers on a ad-hoc network simultaneously. Only older wireless routers, or really chap routers and access points, use that specific type. Most just use a star topology.

I love networking, and while I'm in school for it, its sad how off the top of my head I can think of things.

Let us know what you do with the cards, I'd be interesting in doing some toying with them as well.

IBM invented Token Ring and they don't even use it anymore. While I was working for them they were just finishing up a project where the re-wired all their offices for Ethernet.

The thick coax cables were referred to as Type 1 cables because that is what the connector was. The hub in a Token Ring network is called a MAU, or Multiple Access Unit. The old Type 1 MAUs were filled with relays and you could actually here them clicking as the token went around. If you listened close enough you could tell which station just got the token.

IBM, 3Com, and one other company who's name I can't recall, were the big manufacturers for Token Ring equipment. I was once certified as a "3Com Wizard" on their "Startech" product line. Actually, I guess I still am, though you would be hard pressed to find any of that equipment still around.

Financial Institutions were the big users of Token Ring due to a few factors. First, it was made by IBM and nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM. At least not back "in the day". Second it was very, very reliable. Extremely reliable. Third, it was more secure than Ethernet at a physical level. You couldn't just plug a hub in to a port and add multiple ports.

So I am guess that these cards are coming from someone who works for a bank who just cleaned out their old storeroom.

One interesting tidbit is that some banks do still use TR, and at one time it was the network topology of choice for the ATM machines.

I'm feeling all nostalgic from when I studied for Net+. I really really really hope it's no longer on it.

Quote: Originally Posted by Gzim I'm feeling all nostalgic from when I studied for Net+. I really really really hope it's no longer on it.

It is, and yes it's almost useless, but there is a chance you might run into it in the field.

Yeah, it was in my Networking book from when I took Telecommunications last semester. It would be pretty rare to see it in use today, me thinks.