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a linear bus topology consists of a main run of cable with a terminator at each end (see
fig. 1). all nodes (file server, workstations, and peripherals) are connected to the linear
cable. ethernet networks use a linear bus topology.
in this topology network messages are sent to each terminal on the network - so if one of
the terminals breaks then the others are not affected. if you want to send a message from
computer a to computer b then all the computers will receive the message, however
because you have included computer b's address, only computer b will pick it up and
display it.
1
a cable break can disable the entire network; no redundancy
maintenance costs may be higher in the long run
performance degrades as additional computers are added
star topology
a star topology is designed with each node (file server, workstations, and peripherals)
connected directly to a central network hub .
data on a star network passes through the hub or concentrator before continuing to its
destination. the hub manages and controls all functions of the network. it also acts as a
repeater for the data flow. this configuration is common with twisted pair cable; however,
it can also be used with coaxial cable or fiber optic cable.
2
can be upgraded to faster speeds
lots of support as it is the most used
ring topology
a ring topology consists of a set of stations connected serially by cable. in other words,
it’s a circle or ring of computers. there are no terminated ends to the cable; the signal
travels around the circle in a clockwise direction. note that while this topology functions
logically as ring, it is physically wired as a star. each station on the ring has equal access
but only one station can talk at a time.
in contrast to the ‘passive’ topology of the bus, the ring employs an ‘active’ topology.
each station repeats or ’boosts’ the signal before passing it on to the next station.
rings are normally implemented using twisted pair or fiber-optic cable.
3
all stations have equal access
data packets travel at great speed
no collisions
easier to fault find
no terminators required
mesh topology
a type of network setup where each of the computers and network devices are
interconnected with one another, allowing for most transmissions to be distributed, even
if one of the connections go down. this type of topology is not commonly used for most
computer networks as it is difficult and expensive to have redundant connection to every
computer. however, this type of topology is commonly used for wireless networks. below
is a visual example of a simple computer setup on a network using a mesh topology.
4
not common on lans
most often used in wans to interconnect lans
each node is connected to every other node
allows communication to continue in the event of a break in any one connection
it is “fault tolerant”
advantages
improves fault tolerance
if any cable fails, there are many other ways for two nodes to communicate
that communication can take place directly between any two nodes without an
intermediary
there are multiple routes between any two points
disadvantages
expensive
difficult to install
difficult to manage
difficult to troubleshoot