Passing Data on Token Rings

Passing Data on Token Rings

As this chapter has already described, a frame called a token perpetually circulates around a Token Ring. The computer that holds the token has control of the transmission medium. The actual process is:

1.	A computer in the ring captures the token.
2.	If the computer has data to transmit, it holds the token and transmits a data frame. A Token Ring data frame contains the fields listed in Table 4.1.
3.	Each computer in the ring checks to see if it is the intended recipient of the frame.
4.	When the frame reaches the destination address, the destination PC copies the frame to a receive buffer, updates the frame status field of the data frame (see step 2), and puts the frame back on the ring.
5.	When the computer that originally sent the frame receives it from the ring, it acknowledges a successful transmission, takes the frame off the ring, and places the token back on the ring.