[Suicide Junkie]

This has been asked many times. use the search (top right, beside the "post a message" button) to get lots of details.

I would really suggest ditching the rings for dyson spheres. They're twice the size and only one tech level higher.

Anyways, to build a ring/sphere world, you have to build 11 or 21 starbases over top of the star.

You need to have a total of:
5 cables/5 plating/1 ring generator for a ring, or
10 cables/10 plating/1 sphere generator for a dyson sphere.

build the starbases in the same square as a star, then select the base with the generator and use stellar manip.

If you look through the old Posts, there are many ways to speed up, reduce costs, and other ideas.