1. Optical Ring Networks Research over MAC protocols for optical ring networks with packet switching. MAC protocols divide the ring bandwidth according to rules established by fairness policies.

2. Optical Ring Networks Data flows in the ring are composed in great part by TCP traffic. It is important to analyze the impact of ring MAC protocols over TCP connections.

3. Optical Ring Networks Current protocols offer fairness based on throughput of nodes or flows. Bandwidth is assigned regardless of the number of users in the flows. Result: unfairness from the users point of view.

4. Optical Ring Networks Creation of new MAC protocols for optical ring networks. Protocol capable of sharing the ring bandwidth with fairness among TCP connections.