The invention pertains to communication among stations interconnected by a ring of physical links, operating at a base symbol rate. Each station has an upstream and a downstream link and relays messages originating from the upstream link to its downstream link. Logical links are provided on the ring, each associated with a symbol rate divisor and a link index. Each station transmits messages composed of a strings of symbols on a selected logical link by transmitting the message on its downstream link at the base symbol rate divided by the symbol rate divisor associated with the selected logical link, and offset by the link index of the selected logical link. A station generates a first synchronizing sequence on its downstream link at the base symbol rate divided by the symbol rate divisor associated with a first logical link not used for data, and offset by the link index of the first logical link, and a second synchronizing sequence at the base symbol rate divided by the symbol rate divisor associated with a second logical link not used for data, and offset by the link index of the second logical link.