Allied Telesis AT-MR815T - Manual (Page 37)

AT-MR415T and AT-MR815T Installation Guide
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5 - 4 - 3 Rule
In addition to IEEE requirements, Table 4 and Table 5, follow the “5-4-3 rule”
to ensure that your configuration does not exceed the maximum 10Base-T data
transmission path (the longest path through any given network).
The 5-4-3 rule describes the maximum path between any two devices or nodes
(PCs or other stations) on the network. There can be:
❑ Up to five segments in series
❑ Up to four repeaters or multiport hubs
❑ Up to three populated segments (that is, segments attached to two or
more PCs)*
* The remaining two segments are unpopulated; these are known as inter-
repeater links or IRLs. This distinction between populated and unpopulated
segments is significant for coaxial cable networks only.
Note
This rule is completely consistent with the IEEE 802.3 specification,
and is meant only to summarize the configuration specification.