What is the difference between a repeater and a converter?
• A converter will translate data from one media to another by performing a bit for bit translation. The signal will be re-amplified and squared off. They will also extend “runts” (undersized frames, usually the result of a collision). A repeater, beside re-amplification, will also re-time the data and generate the preamble in ethernet frames. Re-timing removes jitter from the line. Jitter can be a more common problem on coax networks, and that is why the MIL-120A limits the number of nodes to 10 max.
