Star & Mesh Topologies

• Computer networks

  Two or more computers connected together to share information and resources
• Computer networks

  • Can involve physical or wireless connections, or both
• Node

  Each device within a network
• Examples of nodes


  • Workstation
  • Printer
  • Server
• Network topology

  The logical arrangement of a network
• Network topology

  • Affects cost
  • Performance
  • Ease of set-up
• Star topology

  All cables connect to a hub or a switch, data doesn't share one cable
• Star topology

  • Fewer data collisions, fast network
  • Most expensive due to most cabling
• Full Mesh topology


  Every node is connected to all others
• Full Mesh topology

  • If a cable breaks or heavy traffic, there are other routes for data
  • Very expensive due to cabling required
• Partial Mesh topology

  Some nodes are not directly connected
• Partial Mesh topology

  • Fewer cables, cheaper to set up
  • Example: The Internet
• Bus topology


  One cable which all nodes are connected to
• Bus topology

  • Cheap due to little cabling
  • Data collisions slow the network
  • If cable has fault, whole network may suffer
  • Only useful over small areas
• Ring topology

  One cable, data travels in only one direction
• Ring topology

  • No collisions
  • If cable breaks, whole network may go down