Star and mesh topologies

Overview

Star and mesh topologies, what happens when a cable or switch fails, full and partial mesh, wireless mesh networks, and choosing a topology for an office or hospital.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is a network topology?

   Model answer

   A network topology is the way the devices in a network are arranged and connected. Star and mesh are two common topologies.

2. 2

   Describe a star topology.

   Model answer

   A star topology connects every device by its own cable to one central switch. All data between devices passes through the central switch.

3. 3

   What happens in a star network if one device's cable breaks?

   Model answer

   Only the device on that cable loses its connection. The rest of the network keeps working normally.

4. 4

   What happens in a star network if the central switch fails?

   Model answer

   Every device loses its connection to the rest of the network. The central switch is a single point of failure.

5. 5

   Give two advantages of a star topology.

   Model answer

   A faulty cable affects only one device, so faults are easy to find. New devices can be added without disrupting the rest of the network.

6. 6

   Give two disadvantages of a star topology.

   Model answer

   A star needs a lot of cable because each device has its own link to the centre. The whole network stops if the central switch fails.

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