Network Topologies - Star topology

The star network is a very common network topology. In a star topology, each network node is connected to a central device called a hub or a switch. Each workstation has a cable that goes from the network card to the central device. One of the major benefits of a star topology is that a break in the cable causes only the workstation that is connected to the cable to go down, not the entire network. Star topology networks can use one of several forms of Ethernet. The most common is 100Base-T Ethernet, which provides 100 Mbps of bandwidth.

Advantages of Star Topology:

• It’s simple to implement and maintain.
• It allows for direct communication between two nodes.
• Scalability and ease of adding another system to the network.
• It’s easy to troubleshoot.

Disadvantages of Star Topology:

• The central device fails in a star topology, the entire network comes down.
• Another disadvantage of a star topology is cost.
• It’s requiring more cables.