DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A LABORATORY RING NETWORK

Abstract

Networking is a rapidly growing and exciting aspect of personal computer use. It can enhance the performance of existing computers and openup new applications impossible to implement with standalone PCs. Sharing is the common function of all networks: the sharing may be of information or hardware. Information sharing takes place when one computer user shares a message, a data file or a program with another network user. Hardware sharing occurs when two or more LAN users make use of the same piece of computer equipment, such as a hard disk drive or a peripheral. Thus sharing is an important aspect of network. In this dissertation a laboratory ring network ( a LAN to interconnect all PC's of a laboratory without too much hardware) has been designed and implemented. It focusses on the information sharing rather than the hardware sharing. Message transfer and file transfer are the services provided n the' network. RS232 interface connects the IBM compatible personal computers in a ring fashion. Token passing is the accessing method adapted in the ring topology.