Мрежова топология

A Guide to Network Topology
A network topology is how computers, printers, and other devices are connected over a
network. It describes the layout of wires, devices, and routing paths. Essentially there are six
different common topologies you should familiarize yourself with: Bus, Ring, Star, Extended
Star, Hierarchical, and Mesh.

Although it is usually easier to start connecting wires and setting up your network, you’ll
appreciate the level of organization these models provide- especially when your network
grows in size. And if you’re looking to do well on networking exams, consider these topologies
essential to both learn and memorize.
Bus Topology

The bus topology was fairly popular in the early years of networking. It’s easy to setup- not to
mention inexpensive. All devices on the Bus Topology are connected using a single cable. If
you need help remembering how the Bus Topology operates, think of it as the route a bus
takes throughout a city.
It is extremely important to note that both ends of the main cable need to be terminated. If
there is no terminator, the signal will bounce back when it reaches the end. The result: a
bunch of collisions and noise that will disrupt the entire network.

The Bus Topology is less common these days. In fact, this topology is commonly used to
network computers via coaxial cable- when’s the last time you can say you’ve done that?
Ring Topology

The Ring Topology is a very interesting topology indeed. It is a lot more complex that it may
seem- it looks like just a bunch of computers connected in a circle! But behind the scenes, the
Ring Topology is providing a collision-free and redundant networking environment.
Note that since there is no end on a Ring Topology, no terminators are necessary. A frame
travels along the circle, stopping at each node. If that node wants to transmit data, it adds
destination address and data information to the frame. The frame then travels around the
ring, searching for the destination