Media Access Unit
From Free net encyclopedia
←Older revision | Newer revision→
A Media Access Unit (MAU, also called Multistation Access Unit, MSAU) is a device to attach multiple network stations in a star topology in a Token Ring network, internally wired to connect the stations into a logical ring. The MAU contains relays to short out nonoperating stations. Multiple MAUs can be connected into a larger ring through their Ring In/Ring Out connectors.
In essence, all modern Ethernet networks are Token Ring networks, just switching at faster speeds than their predecessors. MAU's are also called the "Ring in a Box". The loop that used to make up the ring of the Token Ring is now integrated into the chip. In Token Ring when a link is broken in the ring, the entire network goes down; however with an MAU, the broken circuit is immediately closed off (within 1ms) allowing Ethernet users to unplug their cord without crashing the entire network.
References
- This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed under the GFDL.