NETWORK TOPOLOGIES

NETWORK:

A network is a set of devices (often referred to as nodes) connected by

communication links. The node can be computer, printer, or any other device capable of
sending and/or receiving data generated by another node on the network.

NETWORK TOPOLOGY:

Network topology is the layout pattern of interconnections of the various elements

(links, nodes, etc.) of a computer network. Network topologies may be physical or
logical. Physical topology means the physical design of a network including the devices,
location and cable installation. Logical topology refers to how data is actually transferred
in a network as opposed to its physical design.

The study of network topology recognizes FIVE basic topologies:

• Bus topology
• Star topology
• Ring topology
• Mesh topology
• Hybrid topology

• BUS TOPOLOGY:
 Bus Topology is used, each machine is connected to a single cable. Each computer or
server is connected to the single bus cable through some kind of connector. A terminator
is required at each end of the bus cable to prevent the signal from bouncing back and
forth on the bus cable. A signal from the source travels in both directions to all machines
connected on the bus cable until it finds the MAC address or IP address on the network
that is the intended recipient. If the machine address does not match the intended address
for the data, the machine ignores the data. Alternatively, if the data does match the
machine address, the data is accepted.

Advantages

• It is easy to handle and implement.

• Less expensive than a star topology due to less footage of cabling and no network
hubs
• Good for smaller networks not requiring higher speeds

Disadvantages

• Limited in size and speed

• One bad connector can take down entire network
• Difficult to troubleshoot

• STAR TOPOLOGY:

Star networks are one of the most common computer network topologies. In its simplest
form, a star network consists of one central switch, hub or computer, which acts as a
conduit to transmit messages. Thus, the hub and leaf nodes, and the transmission lines
between them, form a graph with the topology of a star. If the central node is passive, the
originating node must be able to tolerate the reception of an echo of its own transmission,
delayed by the two-way transmission time (i.e. to and from the central node) plus any
delay generated in the central node. An active star network has an active central node that
usually has the means to prevent echo-related problems.

Advantages

• More suited for larger networks

• Easy to expand network
• Easy to troubleshoot because problem usually isolates itself
• Cabling types can be mixed

Disadvantages

• Hubs become a single point of network failure, not the cabling

• Cabling more expensive due to home run needed for every device

• RING TOPPLOGY:

A ring network is a network topology in which each node connects to exactly two other
nodes, forming a single continuous pathway for signals through each node - a ring. Data
travels from node to node, with each node along the way handling every packet.
Advantages

• Very orderly network where every device has access to the token and the
opportunity to transmit
• Performs better than a star topology under heavy network load
• Can create much larger network using Token Ring

Disadvantages

• One malfunctioning workstation or bad port in the MAU can create problems for
the entire network
• Moves, adds and changes of devices can affect the network
• Network adapter cards and MAU's are much more expensive than Ethernet cards
and hubs
• Much slower than an Ethernet network under normal load

Mesh Topology:

Mesh topology is designed over the concept of routing. Basically it uses router to choose
the shortest distance for the destination. In topologies like star, bus etc, message is
broadcasted to entire network and only intended computer accepts the message, but in
mesh the message is only sent to the destination computer which finds its route it self
with the help of router. Internet is based on mesh topology. Routers plays important role
in mesh topology, routers are responsible to route the message to its destination address
or computer. When every device is connected to every other device it is known as full
mesh topology and if every device is connected indirectly to each other then it is called
partial mesh topology.
Advantages

• The arrangement of the network nodes is such that it is possible to transmit data
from one node to many other nodes at the same time.

Disadvantages

• The arrangement wherein every network node is connected to every other node of
the network, many of the connections serve no major purpose. This leads to the
redundancy of many of the network connections.

Hybrid Topology:
Combination of different topologies discussed above is Hybrid Topology

Advantages

• Allows coexistence and cohabitation by integrating different network technology to work

together.

Disadvantages
The cost and the support require to maintain them. Thus today network topology is commonly a
clusters of Ethernet. Very few if any exists like Token ring, Serial loop.
ROUTERS:

A router is an electronic device that interconnects two or more computer networks, and
selectively interchanges packets of data between them. Each data packet contains address
information that a router can use to determine if the source and destination are on the
same network, or if the data packet must be transferred from one network to another.
When multiple routers are used in a large collection of interconnected networks, the
routers exchange information about target system addresses, so that each router can build
up a table showing the preferred paths between any two systems on the interconnected
networks.

A router is a networking device whose software and hardware are customized to the tasks
of routing and forwarding information. A router has two or more network interfaces,
which may be to different physical types of network (such as copper cables, fiber, or
wireless) or different network standards. Each network interface is a specialized device
that converts electric signals from one form to another.

Routers connect two or more logical subnets, each having a different network address.
The subnets in the router do not necessarily map one-to-one to the physical interfaces of
the router.[1] The term "layer 3 switching" is often used interchangeably with the term
"routing". The term switching is generally used to refer to data forwarding between two
network devices with the same network address. This is also called layer 2 switching or
LAN switching.

Conceptually, a router operates in two operational planes (or sub-systems):[2]

• Control plane: where a router builds a table (called routing table) as how a packet
should be forwarded through which interface, by using either statically configured
statements (called static routes) or by exchanging information with other routers
in the network through a dynamical routing protocol;
• Forwarding plane: where the router actually forwards traffic (called packets in IP)
from ingress (incoming) interfaces to an egress (outgoing) interface that is
 appropriate for the destination address that the packet carries with it, by following
rules derived from the routing table that has been built in the control plane.

REPEATERS:
The term "repeater" originated with telegraphy and referred to an electromechanical
device used to regenerate telegraph signals. Use of the term has continued in telephony
and data communications.

In telecommunication, the term repeater has the following standardized meanings:

1. An analog device that amplifies an input signal regardless of its nature (analog or
digital).
2. A digital device that amplifies, reshapes, retimes, or performs a combination of
any of these functions on a digital input signal for retransmission.[1]

Because repeaters work with the actual physical signal, and do not attempt to interpret the
data being transmitted, they operate on the Physical layer, the first layer of the OSI
model.

HUB:

Hub is a device for connecting multiple twisted pair or fiber optic Ethernet devices
together and making them act as a single network segment. Hubs work at the physical
layer (layer 1) of the OSI model. The device is a form of multiport repeater. Repeater
hubs also participate in collision detection, forwarding a jam signal to all ports if it
detects a collision.