Token Ring vs. Ethernet efficiency: Token Ring uses a circulating token so that only one station transmits at a time, eliminating collisions. As the Token-Ring network grows in node count and physical extent, what is the overall effect on throughput and delay? Choose the best answer.

Introduction / Context:
Token Ring networks eliminate collisions by passing a token that grants transmit permission. This makes channel access deterministic compared to contention methods such as CSMA/CD in legacy shared Ethernet. However, determinism does not mean scalability without limits. As more stations join or as the ring length grows, token rotation time and latency increase, influencing effective throughput and user experience.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A single token circulates to serialize access.
• More nodes imply longer token rotation time.
• Physical ring length and repeaters introduce propagation and processing delay.
• Frame sizes and station holding times are bounded by the ring rules.

Concept / Approach:
In Token Ring, the average wait to transmit is proportional to token rotation time. As nodes increase, each station must wait longer for the token to return. While collisions are avoided, airtime is consumed by token passing overhead, frame headers, and propagation delays. Queueing delays grow with offered load and station count, so aggregate efficiency (useful payload/total time) declines at scale.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Performance models of token passing networks show that average access delay grows with the number of stations and their traffic intensity. Empirical measurements on large rings confirm increasing latency and decreasing goodput per station at high node counts.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Assuming “no collisions” equals “infinite scalability.” Deterministic access still incurs overhead and growing wait times with scale.

Final Answer:
The network becomes less efficient.