Network Topologies

• What Is A ' Network Topology'?

  A Topology Is The Layout Of A Network.
• What Is The Layout Of A Star Topology?

  In A Star Topology, All The Devices Are Connected To A Central Switch Or Server That Controls The Network.
• What Are The Advantages Of Using A Star Topology?

  • If A Device Fails Or A Cable Is Disconnected, The Rest Of The Network Is Unaffected.
  • Simple To Add More Devices To The Network.
  • Better Performance As Data Goes Straight To The Central Device So All Devices Can Transmit Data At Once (Unlike Ring Network).
• What Are The Disadvantages Of Using A Star Topology?

  • If There Is A Problem With The Central Device, The Whole Network Is Affected.
  • In Wired Networks, Every Device Needs A Cable To Connect To The Central Device Which May Be Expensive.
• What Is The Layout Of A Mesh Topology?

  In A Mesh Topology, All The Devices Are Connected Directly Or Indirectly.
• There Are Two Types Of Mesh Topologies, Full & Partial.
• In A Full Mesh Network, Every Device Connects Directly To Every Other Device.
• In A Partial Mesh Network, Some Of The Connections Are Missing So Not All Devices Are Connected To Eachother.
• What Are The Advantages Of A Mesh Topology?

  • There Is No Single Point Where The Network Can Fail.
  • Fast As Messages Travel Through Fewer Devices.
• What Are The Disadvantages Of A Mesh Topology?

  • Expensive
  • Difficult To Maintain And Setup