Ntc 260

Mesh Network Topology - In this type of network is a modified Ring network with two or more nodes having multiple paths between them. The main advantage a Mesh network has over a Ring network is redundancy. Critical nodes will have multiple links to the rest of the network; if one link goes down they can operate over the other link(s).

Bus Network Topology - Bus networks have all of the nodes connected together in series on a single segment. 10Base2 Ethernet is a prime example of a Bus Network. Bus networks are not very reliable and seldom used today as they have several inherent flaws. Some of these flaws include:

 Each end of the bus has to be terminated; a failed terminator will bring down the entire network.

 A failed node brings down the entire network

 All traffic is point-to-point with only one route

 Only one segment creating packet congestion

Ring Network Topology - Ring networks work in the same was as Bus networks but instead of terminating each end of the Bus the ends are joined together creating a circle or ring. Ring networks have a very big advantage over Bus networks as they have two routes to each node. If a node fails in the ring, all of the network traffic will be rerouted in the other direction. One failed node will not bring down the entire network.

Star Network Topology - Star networks are the most common networks in use today. They rely on hubs and switches to route all of the traffic. With a Star network, each node is wired directly to the hub or switch creating a unique route. The main advantage a Star network has over the others is increased reliability. If a node fails it only affects that node and no others. One disadvantage of a Star network is the increased cost of the wiring and associated network hardware. Another disadvantage is when the hub or switch is a single point of failure.

The following graphic illustrates the difference between these networks topologies along with a few others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_topology