There are four main network topologies: bus, ring, star, and mesh.
1. Bus Topology: In a bus topology, all devices are connected to a central cable called a bus. Data is transmitted along the bus, and each device receives the data and checks if it is the intended recipient.
2. Ring Topology: In a ring topology, each device is connected to two other devices, forming a closed loop or ring. Data travels in one direction around the ring until it reaches the intended recipient.
3. Star Topology: In a star topology, all devices are connected to a central hub or switch. Data travels through the hub, which acts as a central point of control for all communication within the network.
4. Mesh Topology: In a mesh topology, each device is connected to every other device in the network, forming a fully interconnected web. This allows for redundant paths and increased reliability, but can be more complex to set up and maintain.
In the diagram below, you can see examples of each of these network topologies:
```
Bus Topology Ring Topology
+-----------+ +-----------+
| Node +---+----> | Node |
+-----------+ | +-----------+
|
+-----------+ | +-----------+
| Node +---+----> | Node |
+-----------+ +-----------+
Star Topology Mesh Topology
| +---+
+-----+-----+ + | +
| Node | | +-----+
| Hub +----+ +----+ |
| | | | | |
+-----+------+ | | +------+--+
| | | |
+----------+ +----------+
```
c. identify and distinguish 4 network topologies .use the diagram to illustrate your answer
1 answer