Network Topology

Network topology is the arrangement of the various elements (links, nodes, etc.) of a computer

network.

There are two basic categories of network topologies:

1. Physical topologies

2. Logical topologies

Physical Topology refers to the layout of cabling, the locations of nodes, and the interconnections

between the nodes in a network. The physical topology of a network is determined by the

capabilities of the network access devices and media, the level of control or fault tolerance desired,

and the cost associated with cabling or telecommunications circuits.

Logical topology in contrast, is the way that the signals act on the network media, or the way that

the data passes through the network from one device to the next without regard to the physical

interconnection of the devices. The logical topologies are generally determined by network

protocols as opposed to being determined by the physical layout of cables, and network devices or

by the flow of the electrical signals, although in many cases the paths that the electrical signals

take between nodes may closely match the logical flow of data, hence the convention of using the

terms logical topology and signal topology interchangeably.

Factors to consider when choosing a topology

i. Economy: A linear bus network may be the least expensive way to install a network

ii. Length of cable: The linear bus network uses shorter lengths of cable

iii. Future expansion: With a star topology, expanding a network is easily done by adding
 another repeater.

iv. Cable type: The most common cable is unshielded twisted pair

Physical Topologies

Most network designs are based on the following physical topologies:

In a bus topology, data transmission takes place along a single backbone cable, known as the bus.
The process of sending data in this particular network setup can be dissected in the following
manner:

1. Structure: A single backbone cable links all devices (nodes) and serves as a shared
communication medium.

2. Data Transmission: When a device needs to send data, it sends data bidirectionally
along the bus. Data sent by any node is transmitted to all other nodes in the network.

3. Data Reception: In bus topology, each node analyzes the data destination address to
determine if it is the designated receiver. If the node’s address matches the destination
address, the data is processed by the node, Otherwise, the data is ignored.

4. Collision Detection: The bus being shared by all nodes increases the probability of data
collisions when two devices transmit at the same time. In the majority of bus topologies,
a technique such as Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD)
is implemented to handle collisions. CSMA/CD requires that devices supervise the bus to
verify its availability before transmitting data and to recognize and handle collisions if
they happen.
 b) Star Topology:

Connects computers via central connection point or hub which is responsible for the transmission
of the data in the network. Whenever any node wants to transmit data to another node, it first
transmits data to the central node (hub), and after receiving the data, the hub checks for the
destination address, and if the address matches the data is accepted otherwise data is rejected.
Star topology is a simple and reliable way to set up a network. The star topology is used in Local
Area Networks where multiple connections are required for a network. Even if one device or cable
fails, the rest of the network keeps working, but if the central hub goes down, the entire network
stops. Star topology is widely used in homes, offices, etc. because it is easy to maintain and expand.

c) Ring Topology:

Connects computers to form a loop. Ring Topology may be a network configuration where device
connections create a circular data path. In this each device is connected with its exactly two
neighboring devices, like points on a circle which forms like a ring structure. A number of repeaters
are used for Ring topology with a large number of nodes to send data and to prevent data loss. In
this arrangement, packets travel from one device to another until they reach the desired destination.
In this topology, data travels in unidirectional forms, but bidirectional is possible by having 2
connections between each network node. This is called Dual Ring Topology. It is used in LANs
and WANs depending on the card of network in the computer.
All computers, regardless of topology, communicate by addressing data to one or more
computers and transmitting it across as electronic signals. Data is broken into packets and sent as
electronic signals over a transmission medium.
d) Mesh

In a mesh topology, every device is connected to another device via dedicated channels. These

channels are known as links.

A common example of mesh topology is the internet backbone, where various internet service

providers are connected to each other via dedicated channels. This topology is also used in military

communication systems and aircraft navigation systems.

Tree topology is the variation of the Star topology. This topology has a hierarchical flow of

data.

In tree topology, various secondary hubs are connected to the central hub which contains the

repeater. This data flow from top to bottom i.e. from the central hub to the secondary and then to

the devices or from bottom to top. It is a multi-point connection and a non-robust topology because

if the backbone fails the topology crashes.

f) Hybrid Topology

Hybrid Topology is the combination of all the various types of topologies we have listed above.

Hybrid Topology is used when the nodes are free to take any form.