PRACTICAL-2
AIM: To study various topologies for establishing computer networks
THEORY:
A network is two or more devices connected through links. A link is a communications
pathway that transfers data from one device to another. For visualization purposes, it is
simplest to imagine any link as a line drawn between two points. For communication to
occur, two devices must be connected in some way to the same link at the same time.
There are two possible types of connections:
1. Point to Point
A point-to-point link-based system provides dedicated links between two devices. For example, a
wired system that connects two computers together can be thought of as a point-to-point link.
This is in contrast to a broadcast system where one system connects multiple other devices. A
good example of a point-to-point system is a telephone call where only two people are connected
and communicating.
2. Multipoint
A multipoint (also called multidrop) connection is one in which more than two specific
devices share a single link. In a multipoint environment, the capacity of the channel is
shared, either spatially or temporally
There are 5 type of Multipoint topology.
1. Mesh
2. Star
3. Bus
4. Ring
5. Tree
And these 5 topologies can fall under two categories,
1. Peer-to-Peer:
Here each computer acts as a node for file sharing within the formed network. Here
each node acts as a server and thus there is no central server to the network. This
allows the sharing of a huge amount of data . The tasks are equally divided amongst the
nodes. Each node connected in the network shares an equal workload. For the network
to stop working, all the nodes need to individually stop working. This is because each
node works independently e,g ring, mesh, bus topologies fall under this category
2. Primary-Secondary:
In the Primary - Secondary relationship, one device controls, and the other devices
have to transmit through it. Here only one or few nodes act as a server and thus there is
a central server to the networks e,g star and tree topology falls under this category
MESH TOPOLOGY
1. Mesh technology is an arrangement of the network in which computers are
interconnected with each other through various redundant connections.
2. There are multiple paths from one computer to another computer.
3. It does not contain the switch, hub or any central computer which acts as a
central point of communication.
4. The Internet is an example of the mesh topology.
5. Mesh topology is mainly used for WAN implementations where
communication failures are a critical concern.
6. Mesh topology is mainly used for wireless networks.
Apparatus used:
1. Bridges, switches, and other infrastructure devices are used in making of a mesh
network.
2. Infrastructure nodes are connected directly, non-hierarchically, and dynamically to as
many nodes as possible to transmit data.
Logical Scenario:
1. One practical example of a mesh topology is the connection of telephone regional
offices in which each regional office needs to be connected to every other regional
office.
2. Military organizations often use mesh network topologies to avoid breakdowns in
communication
3. Cities are increasingly using wireless mesh network topologies to help monitor traffic
flow and sewage treatment and to help control street lightin
STAR TOPOLOGY
1. Star topology is an arrangement of the network in which every node is
connected to the central hub, switch or a central computer.
2. The central computer is known as a server, and the peripheral devices
attached to the server are known as clients.
3. Coaxial cable or RJ-45 cables are used to connect the computers.
4. Hubs or Switches are mainly used as connection devices in a physical star
topology.
5. Star topology is the most popular topology in network implementation.
Apparatus used:
1. The central hub used in the star topology can be of four kinds which are of type
a. Hub/Repeater
b. Router/Gateway
c. Computer
d. Switch/Bridge
2. Nodes are connected to a central device with the help of a coaxial cable, optical fiber, or
twisted pair cable.
Logical Scenario:
1. The star topology is used in local-area networks (LANs). High-speed LANs often use a
star topology with a central hub.
2. The following types of networks are examples of star topologies:
a. ARCnet
b. 10Base-T, 100Base-TX c. StarLAN
BUS TOPOLOGY
1. The bus topology is designed in such a way that all the stations are connected
through a single cable known as a backbone cable.
2. Each node is either connected to the backbone cable by drop cable or directly
connected to the backbone cable.
3. When a node wants to send a message over the network, it puts a message
over the network. All the stations available in the network will receive the
message whether it has been addressed or not.
4. The bus topology is mainly used in 802.3 (ethernet) and 802.4 standard
networks.
5. The configuration of a bus topology is quite simpler as compared to other
topologies.
6. The backbone cable is considered as a "single lane" through which the
message is broadcast to all the stations.
7. The most common access method of the bus topologies is CSMA (Carrier
Sense Multiple Access).
Apparatus used:
1. This type of topology often uses a coaxial or RJ45 cable to link devices together.
2. Bus topology sections are connected with BNC connectors.
3. T connectors are often used to connect the computer to the trunk cable. The T
connector can connect the computer to two sections of cable with the bus extending
in both directions.
4. The end devices on the bus have terminators on one connector of the T.
Logical Scenarios:
1. Bus topology was one of the first topologies used in the design of early local area
networks. Ethernet LANs can use a bus topology, but they are less popular now
RING TOPOLOGY
1. Ring topology is like a bus topology, but with connected ends.
2. The node that receives the message from the previous computer will
retransmit to the next node.
3. The data flows in one direction, i.e., it is unidirectional.
4. The data flows in a single loop continuously known as an endless loop.
5. It has no terminated ends, i.e., each node is connected to other node and
having no termination point.
6. The data in a ring topology flow in a clockwise direction.
Apparatus used:
1. Depending on the network card used in each computer of the ring topology, a coaxial
cable or an RJ-45 network cable is used to connect computers together.
Logical Scenario
1. Ring topology was prevalent when IBM introduced its local-area network Token Ring.
Today,the need for higher-speed LANs has made this topology less popular.
2. Ring topology is used in WAN
3. Used in MAN (Metropolitan area network)
TREE TOPOLOGY
1. Tree topology combines the characteristics of bus topology and star topology.
2. A tree topology is a type of structure in which all the computers are connected
with each other in hierarchical fashion.
3. The top-most node in tree topology is known as a root node, and all other
nodes are the descendants of the root node.
4. There is only one path exists between two nodes for the data transmission.
Thus, it forms a parent-child hierarchy.
Apparatus used:
1. There are three types of Hub that can be used in the Three Topology Network, which
are Intelligent Hub, Active Hub, and Passive Hub.
Logical Scenario:
1. Used in Wide Area Network
2. When you have a multi-story building and wish to establish clusters at each
section of the network, you can utilize tree topology.
3. If you have departments and sub-departments, you can segregate the whole Tree
Network with the help of several switches that makes the entire network easy to
maintain and more manageable.
