6.

4 Network
topologies
REMEMBER

1. There are three main ways to connect the nodes: star

topology, ring topology and bus topology. In a star
topology, an individual wire connects each PC (or node in
the case of peripherals) to a central location. The bus
topology uses a cable in a single line with two end points.
In a ring topology, the cable is laid in a circle.

2. Star topology: Each node has its own cable and does not
need to share the line with any other node. Also if a
cable to a node is broken, then only that node is
affected. Bus topology: They are easy and cheap to set
up, and nodes can be added and removed easily. Ring
topology: A single cable is used to connect all the nodes.
3. Star topology: If the central node fails, the entire
network will cease to operate. More cabling is required
than for other network topologies. Bus topology: If the
ring is broken, or the cable is faulty, the entire network
will stop working. The ring must be broken (and the
network stopped) to add new nodes or to remove existing
ones. Ring topology: Because one cable carries all the
data, collisions (data traffic jams) can affect networks
with many nodes. A fault in the cable can be difficult to
locate because it will usually stop all the nodes from
transmitting or receiving.
THINK

4. I would use star topology if I was to play a networked

computer game with three friends.

INVESTIGATE
5. Our school uses the star topology network.