Network Topologies

A network topology describes how devices (hosts) and interconnection equipment (switches, routers, etc.) are arranged and how data flows between them. You can think of it two ways:

• Physical topology: the actual cable and hardware layout.
• Logical topology: How data moves over that physical setup.

1- Point-to-Point

• Definition: A direct link between exactly two nodes.
• Use Case: Simple device-to-device links (e.g. a modem-to-router).
• Pros/Cons: Easy to set up and troubleshoot; not scalable beyond two endpoints.

2- Bus

• Definition: All hosts share a single “backbone” cable.
• Use Case: Legacy LANs (e.g. early Ethernet over coax).
• Pros/Cons: Cheap and simple; collisions and bottlenecks under load, single point of failure.

3- Star

• Definition: Each host connects to a central device (switch, hub or router).