![[Intel Navigation Header]](/CONTENT/PIX/HEADER.GIF)
Token Ring Network Cabling Guide
INTEL TOKEN RING NETWORK CABLING GUIDE
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STATIONS PER RING WITH VARIOUS CABLING TYPES
The Intel Token Ring Network Adapters have been tested as having one of
the industry's lowest jitter values, both concerning "correlated" and
"un-correlated" jitter, which means that by using the Intel adapters,
users can build networks which meet or exceed all required Industry
Standards concerning maximum number of workstations per ring or maximum
length of the lobe cables.
The Intel Token Ring Network Adapters are guaranteed to meet or exceed
all cabling specifications outlined in the "IBM Token Ring Network
Introduction and Planning Guide" and in the "IBM Local Area Network
Technical Reference Manual". As an example, for 100 meter (328 Feet)
lobe length, a total of 136 adapters (connected via 17 MAU's) are
guaranteed to be supported at 16 Mbps operation. Using shorter lobe
lengths will allow additional Adapters.
The IEEE 802.5 Standard calls for a maximum of 250 adapters on one
single ring. At this time, 16 Mbps rings with more than 260 workstations
using Intel's Token Ring network adapters and connected via "type-1
(shielded twisted pair) cabling" have been tested without showing even a
single error. TokenExpress supports 150ohms on STP cable and 100ohms on
UTP cable.
For 16 Mbps operation, Intel guarantees a MAXIMUM ADAPTER LOBE LENGTH,
measured as total cable length between the MAU and the adapter's
connector, of:
173 Meters/568 Feet
In addition, although no industry-wide specification for operation via
"type-3 (unshielded twisted pair)" cabling exists at this time, recent
measurements have shown the Intel Token Ring network adapters running
via the Intel "16/4 Mbps on board Type-3 Media Filter" will meet or
exceed one of the "de facto" Industry Standards of:
At least 72 Token Ring Workstations with up to 65 meters (213 feet)
lobe lengths on one ring via IBM specified "type-3 or unshielded
twisted pair" (Belden 1154A T3M E 24 AWG) cabling
At least 104 Token Ring Workstations with up to 100 meters (328
feet) lobe length on one ring via AT&T Systimax 2061 Cabling
At least 72 Token Ring Workstations with at least 70 meters (230
feet) lobe lengths on one ring via AT&T Systimax PDS DIW 4/24
cabling
INTEL NETWORK PLANNING GUIDE USING "TYPE-1" STP CABLING (IN METERS)
To accommodate future network growth using multiple MAU's at 16 MBps
operation, the Network should be planned using the following tables for
typical ADAPTER LOBE LENGTHS for single-wiring-closet "type-1" or
"type-2" (STP) cabled networks:
All Lobe Cable Length in Meters
# of
MAU's
<---------------- Number of Racks ---------------->
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
-----------------------------------------------------
1 | 173 |
2 | 167 160 |
3 | 163 156 151 |
4 | 159 152 147 142 |
5 | 156 148 143 138 133 |
6 | 152 144 139 134 129 124 |
7 | 148 140 135 130 125 120 115 |
8 | 145 136 131 126 121 116 111 106 |
9 | 141 132 127 122 117 112 107 102 97 |
10 | 137 128 123 118 113 108 103 98 93 88|
11 | 134 124 119 114 109 104 99 94 89 84|
12 | 130 121 116 111 106 101 96 91 86 81|
* 13 | 116 117 112 107 102 97 92 87 82 77|
* 14 | 112 113 108 103 98 93 88 83 78 73|
* 15 | 109 109 104 99 94 89 84 79 74 69|
* 16 | 105 105 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65|
* 17 | 101 101 96 91 86 81 76 71 66 61|
* 18 | 98 97 92 87 82 77 72 67 62 57|
* 19 | 94 93 88 83 78 73 68 63 58 53|
* 20 | 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45|
* 21 | 87 77 72 67 62 57 52 47 42 37|
* 22 | 83 69 64 59 54 49 44 39 34 29|
* 23 | 79 61 56 51 46 41 36 31 26 21|
* 24 | 75 53 48 43 38 33 28 23 18 13|
* 25 | 67 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 |
* 26 | 63 32 27 22 17 12 7 |
* 27 | 59 23 18 13 8 3 |
* 28 | 56 15 10 5 |
* 29 | 52 7 |
* 30 | 48 |
* 31 | 45 |
* 32 | 41 |
* 33 | 37 |
--------------------------------------------------------
Note: "*" marked entries are for more than 12 MAU's in a single
rack.
INTEL NETWORK PLANNING GUIDE USING "TYPE-1" STP CABLING (IN FEET)
To accommodate future network growth using multiple MAU's at 16 MBps
operation, the Network should be planned using the following tables for
typical ADAPTER LOBE LENGTHS for single-wiring-closet "type-1" or
"type-2" STP cabled networks:
All Lobe Cable lengths in Feet
#
MAU's
<---------------- Number of Racks ---------------->
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
----------------------------------------------------
1 | 569 |
2 | 556 524 |
3 | 544 511 494 |
4 | 531 498 482 465 |
5 | 518 485 469 452 436 |
6 | 505 472 456 439 423 407 |
7 | 492 459 443 427 410 394 377 |
8 | 479 447 430 414 397 381 365 348 |
9 | 467 434 417 401 385 368 352 335 319 |
10 | 454 421 405 388 372 355 339 323 306 290|
11 | 441 408 392 375 359 343 326 310 293 277|
12 | 428 395 379 363 346 330 313 297 281 264|
13 |*380 383 366 350 333 317 300 284 268 251|
14 |*367 370 353 337 320 304 288 271 255 238|
15 |*358 357 340 324 308 291 275 258 242 226|
16 |*344 344 328 311 295 278 262 246 229 213|
17 |*331 331 315 298 282 266 249 233 216 200|
18 |*321 318 302 286 269 253 236 220 204 187|
19 |*308 306 289 273 256 240 224 207 191 174|
20 |*295 280 264 247 231 214 198 181 165 149|
21 |*285 251 235 218 202 185 169 153 136 120|
22 |*272 225 209 193 176 160 143 127 111 94|
23 |*259 200 183 167 150 134 118 101 85 68|
24 |*246 174 158 141 125 108 92 76 59 43|
25 |*220 132 116 99 83 66 50 34 17|
26 |*207 106 90 74 57 41 24 |
27 |*193 74 58 41 25 9 |
28 |*183 49 32 16 |
29 |*171 23 |
30 |*157 |
31 |*148 |
32 |*135 |
33 |*121 |
---------------------------------------------------
Note: "*" marked entries are for more than 12 MAU's in a single rack.
INTEL NETWORK PLANNING GUIDE USING "TYPE-3" UTP CABLING (IN METERS)
To accommodate future network growth using multiple MAU's at 16 MBps
operation, the Network should be planned using the following tables for
typical ADAPTER LOBE LENGTHS for single-wiring-closet "type-3" cabled
networks:
All Lobe Cable lengths in meters
Number Number Belden Systimax Systimax
Of Of 1154A PDS PDS DIW
Adapters MAU's 24AWG 206 14/24
1-8 1 82 125 87
9-16 2 79 122 84
17-24 3 77 120 82
25-32 4 75 118 80
33-40 5 73 116 78
41-48 6 71 114 76
49-56 7 69 112 74
57-64 8 67 110 72
65-72 9 65 108 70
73-80 10 106
81-88 11 104
89-96 12 102
97-104 13 100
------------------------------------------------------
All lengths are in Meters. For length in Feet, multiply above lengths
with a factor of 3.28.
NOTE: Distance between MAU's = 7 Feet = 2.13 Meters. Maximum 12
MAU's per Rack.
NOTE: Due to type-3 cabling being un-shielded, networks based on
type-3 cabling are sensitive to the electrical environment;
how the cables are physically run and distances from
electrically "noisy" components (power transformers, motors,
etc.). In addition, the electrical characteristics of the
cables may vary. For instance, for older versions of the
"Belden 1154A T3M 24 AWG" cable, laboratory measurements of up
to 130 Meters have been measured for maximum error-free
adapter drive distance.
NOTE: Level 3 cable has 2 twists per foot. Higher levels have more
twists per foot.
INTEL NETWORK PLANNING GUIDE - PLANNING FORMULAS
Cable Budget =
(longest lobe length) plus (total length of all cables between all
MAU's).
Normal Maximum Adapter Signal Drive Distance =
(2 * longest lobe length) plus (total length of all cables between
all MAU's).
Adjusted Ring Length, or ARL =
(total length of all cables between all MAU's) minus (length of
shortest cable between MAU's).
NOTE: (This is used for error determination if one MAU-to-MAU
connection cable is broken/disconnected)
Worst Case Maximum Adapter Signal Drive Distance =
2 * ((longest lobe length) plus (Adjusted Ring Length)) = 2 *
((longest lobe length) plus (total length of all cables between all
MAU's) - (length of shortest cable connecting two MAU's)).
For error free operation under all conditions, Worst Case Maximum
Adapter Signal Drive Distance MUST be below the guaranteed MAXIMUM
ADAPTER SIGNAL DRIVE DISTANCE for the type of cable used.
Trademark information