Network topology
Network topology is the arrangement of the elements (links, nodes,
etc.) of a communication network
Point to Point Topology
• It is the simplest form of network topology, involving only two
endpoints directly communicating with each other.
• Due to the direct connection, data transmission is typically faster.
Mesh Topology
• In a mesh topology, each device is connected to every other device in
the network, creating multiple paths for data transmission.
• Suppose, N number of devices are connected with each other
in a mesh topology, then the total number of dedicated links
required to connect them is NC2 i.e. N(N-1)/2.
• Full Mesh: Every device is connected to every other device.
• Partial Mesh: Some devices are connected to all others, while some
are connected to only those with which they exchange the most data.
Advantages of Mesh Topology
• Communication is very fast between the nodes.
• Mesh Topology is robust.
• The fault is diagnosed easily.
• Provides security and privacy.
Disadvantages of Mesh Topology
• Installation and configuration are difficult.
• The cost of cables is high as bulk wiring is required, hence
suitable for less number of devices.
• The cost of maintenance is high.
Star Topology • In a star topology, all devices are
connected to a central hub or switch.
Each device has a dedicated point-to-
point connection to the hub.
• This hub is the central node and
all other nodes are connected to
the central node.
• If N devices are connected to
each other in a star topology,
then the number of cables
required to connect them is N
Advantages:
•Easy to install and manage.
•If one cable fails, it doesn’t affect the rest of the network.
•Easy to detect faults and troubleshoot issues.
Disadvantages:
•Requires more cable than bus topology.
•If the central hub fails, the entire network fails.
Bus Topology
• In a bus topology, all devices are connected to a single central cable,
called the bus or backbone.
• It is bi-directional
• The nodes are connected to the channel via drop lines.
• If N devices are connected to each other in a bus topology, then
the number of cables required to connect them is n+1, 1
known as backbone cable, and N drop lines are required.
Advantages:
•Easy to implement and extend.
•Requires less cable than other topologies.
•Cost-effective for small networks.
Disadvantages:
•If the bus fails, the entire network goes down.
•Performance decreases as more devices are added.
Ring Topology
• In a ring topology, each device is connected to two other devices,
forming a circular path for data transmission.
• The data flows in one direction, i.e. it is unidirectional
• A number of repeaters are used for Ring topology with a large
number of nodes, because if someone wants to send some
data to the last node in the ring topology with 100 nodes, then
the data will have to pass through 99 nodes to reach the 100th
node. Hence to prevent data loss repeaters are used in the
network.
Advantages of Ring Topology
• The data transmission is high-speed.
• The possibility of collision is minimum in this type of topology.
• Cheap to install and expand.
• It is less costly than a star topology.
• Disadvantages: If one device or connection fails, it can disrupt the
entire network.
Tree Topology
• A tree topology combines characteristics of star and bus topologies.
It consists of groups of star-configured networks connected to a
central bus.
Advantages of Tree Topology
• We can add new devices to the existing network.
• Error detection and error correction are very easy in a tree
topology.
• Scalable and easy to expand.
• Hierarchical structure makes troubleshooting easier.
Disadvantages
• If the central hub fails, the entire network can be disrupted.
• More difficult to configure and wire than star or bus topologies.
Hybrid Topology
• A hybrid topology is a combination of two or more different types of
topologies. For example, a large organization might use a star
topology within departments and a bus topology to connect
departments.
• Advantages of Hybrid Topology
• The size of the network can be easily expanded by adding new
devices.
• Disadvantages of Hybrid Topology
• It is challenging to design the architecture of the Hybrid
Network.
• Hubs used in this topology are very expensive.
• The infrastructure cost is very high as a hybrid
network requires a lot of cabling and network devices.
