Page 13 - Computer Class 08

2. Networks Based on Topology
Topology refers to the arrangement of computers in a network. Star, Ring, Bus, Mesh
and Tree are the common topologies.

8 Bus Topology

In bus topology, a single cable known as the Backbone or Bus carries all the data. All
the computers, printers and other peripherals which are being shared are connected to
the Bus. This kind of topology is normally used for small networks. The amount of
cabling required is less but the entire network is dependent on the Bus backbone.

8 Star Topology

In star topology, each computer is connected to a central hub using a point-to-point
connection. The central hub can be a computer server that manages the network, or it
can be a much simpler device that only makes the connections between computer over
the network possible.

Star topology is very popular because the startup costs are low. It is also easy to add
new nodes to the network. The network is robust in the sense that if one connection
between a computer and the hub fails, the other connections remain intact. If the central
hub fails, however, the entire network goes down. It also requires more cable than bus

topology and is, therefore, more expensive.

Computer-8 13