A
local-area network (LAN) whose
topology is a ring. That is, all of the
nodes are connected in a closed loop. Messages travel around the ring, with each node
reading those messages addressed to it. One of the advantages of ring networks is that they can span larger distances than other types of
networks, such as bus networks, because each node regenerates messages as they pass through it.
For network diagrams, see Network Topology Diagrams in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.