Star and Mesh Topologies

Star and Mesh Topologies

1. Star topology

   • All of the computers have their own cable connecting them to a hub, switch or computer which acts as a server
   • Advantages
     • If one cable fails then none of the other workstations are affected
     • Consistent performance even when the network is heavily used
   • Disadvantages
     • Can be costly to install because there is a lot of cabling and extra hardware
     • If the server or the central switch goes down then the whole network fails

2. Mesh topology

   • Can be LAN WLAN or VLAN
   • In wireless mesh there is no central connection point
     • Each point acts as a node and information travels from Node A to Node B wirelessly taking the shortest route
   • To connect to the internet one node physically connects via a modem then shares its connection with all the other nodes near it
     • The nodes that receive the connection then share it with the nodes near them and so on so that the whole network is connected
   • Full mesh
     • Each node is connected to every other node
   • Partial mesh
     • Some nodes are not directly connected
   • Advantages
     • Using fewer cables means it costs less to set up a network, particularly over a large area of coverage
     • The more nodes that are installed the bigger and faster the wireless network becomes
     • New nodes are automatically incorporated into the network without needing any adjustments by a network administrator
     • Even if one node is blocked or faulty the network will automatically try to find another route to send messages from one computer to another
     • Local networks run faster because the packets don't have to travel back to a central switch or server
   • Disadvantages
     • Can be costly
     • Installation is very difficult