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Home » » Courses » Technology Education & Skilled Trades » Communications Technology 2104/3104 » Unit 05 » Set 01 ILO 07 » Go to Work

Lesson

A network topology is the specific arrangement of the elements of a network. It can be physical connections or logical connections. Physical connections requires a real full time connection between nodes. Logical connection is a virtual connection (remember packet switching). Several topologies are common

Bus. All nodes are connected on a single backbone or bus.

Figure Bus Topology
Ring. All nodes are connected in a ring. Each computer is connected to two other computers.

Figure Ring Topology
Star. Each node is connected to a central point. Usually this is a sharing device such as a hub, switch, or router. This is the dominant form of topology for small local area networks (LANs)

Figure Star Topology
Tree. A tree is a collection of star topologies connected to a bus or backbone. This is a hybrid topology. A large LAN or several LANs may be connected in this manner.

Figure Tree Topology
Mesh. In a mesh topology, every node is connected to every other node. This is usually a logical topology. The internet model is an implementation of this topology. Theoretically any computer can be connected to any other computer, if the IP addresses are known.

Figure Mesh Topology

For Additional Information

For more information on network topologies, the follow are good starting points

Activity

Please complete all parts of the activity

investigate the school LAN. It will most likely be a hybrid of different topologies
create a topology map of the school LAN
create an entry in your course portfolio
publish the entry to you course portfolio web

Test Yourself

There is no self test for this lesson.

Learning Resources

Lesson

Bus. All nodes are connected on a single backbone or bus.

Figure Bus Topology

Ring. All nodes are connected in a ring. Each computer is connected to two other computers.

Figure Ring Topology

Star. Each node is connected to a central point. Usually this is a sharing device such as a hub, switch, or router. This is the dominant form of topology for small local area networks (LANs)

Figure Star Topology

Tree. A tree is a collection of star topologies connected to a bus or backbone. This is a hybrid topology. A large LAN or several LANs may be connected in this manner.

Figure Tree Topology

Mesh. In a mesh topology, every node is connected to every other node. This is usually a logical topology. The internet model is an implementation of this topology. Theoretically any computer can be connected to any other computer, if the IP addresses are known.

Figure Mesh Topology

For Additional Information

Activity

Test Yourself

RESOURCES

QUICK LINKS

Learning Resources

Lesson

Bus. All nodes are connected on a single backbone or bus. Figure Bus Topology

Ring. All nodes are connected in a ring. Each computer is connected to two other computers. Figure Ring Topology

Star. Each node is connected to a central point. Usually this is a sharing device such as a hub, switch, or router. This is the dominant form of topology for small local area networks (LANs) Figure Star Topology

Tree. A tree is a collection of star topologies connected to a bus or backbone. This is a hybrid topology. A large LAN or several LANs may be connected in this manner. Figure Tree Topology

Mesh. In a mesh topology, every node is connected to every other node. This is usually a logical topology. The internet model is an implementation of this topology. Theoretically any computer can be connected to any other computer, if the IP addresses are known. Figure Mesh Topology

For Additional Information

Activity

Test Yourself

RESOURCES

QUICK LINKS

Bus. All nodes are connected on a single backbone or bus.

Figure Bus Topology

Ring. All nodes are connected in a ring. Each computer is connected to two other computers.

Figure Ring Topology

Star. Each node is connected to a central point. Usually this is a sharing device such as a hub, switch, or router. This is the dominant form of topology for small local area networks (LANs)

Figure Star Topology

Tree. A tree is a collection of star topologies connected to a bus or backbone. This is a hybrid topology. A large LAN or several LANs may be connected in this manner.

Figure Tree Topology

Mesh. In a mesh topology, every node is connected to every other node. This is usually a logical topology. The internet model is an implementation of this topology. Theoretically any computer can be connected to any other computer, if the IP addresses are known.

Figure Mesh Topology