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Best Token-Ring Network Interface Card

Feisty Madge Proves Impossible To Beat

Replacing a server's ISA Token-Ring adapters with Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus-mastering cards can significantly improve network performance. The wider 32-bit EISA bus, coupled with busmastering technology, assures higher throughput rates with lower drain on server resources. Our Well-Connected winner, Madge Networks' Smart 16/4 EISA Ringnode, is the current speed king of this class. It also sports a unique feature that can increase system stability: adapter mirroring.
All three of the adapters perform very well on moderately busy networks--that is, networks with lower numbers of users making occasional demands for large files. In such environments, these adapters deliver high throughput while making very minimal demands on server utilization. The Thomas-Conrad TC4047 EISA Token-Ring Adapter even has a special 512-KB buffer to improve its handling of large files.
Unlike the other two cards, the Madge Smart 16/4 EISA Ringnode does very well on high-traffic networks--networks with larger numbers of users making heavy demands for data, for example, networks supporting multiuser databases. Even with multiple cards in the server, throughput is very high and utilization is low.
We were especially impressed with Madge's new adapter mirroring technology. Two adapters are connected to the same subnetwork. One is assigned as the primary adapter and carries the load. If the primary adapter fails, the other adapter takes over without a moment's hesitation, assuring high system stability and l ess downtime.
The only minor fault with the Madge Ringnode is installation. The other two adapters are easier to install and require fewer things to be specified.

Smart 16/4 EISA Ringnode, $835, Madge Networks, 2310 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95131-1011. (800) 876-2343; (408) 955-0700; fax (408) 955-0968.

Runners-Up
16/4 Busmaster EISA Adapter, IBM Corp., P.O. Box 12195,
LAN Marketing, J06/060,
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. (800) IBM-4YOU;
fax (800) IBM-4FAX.

TC4047 16/4 Mbps Token-Ring Adapter/EISA, Thomas-Conrad Corp., 1908-R Kramer La.,
Austin, TX 78758.
(800) 332-8683/(512) 836-1935;
fax (512) 836-2840.