What is Star Topology?
A Network Topology where each computer on a network communicates with a central point, like a Hub, Switch, or access point with their own individual cables or wireless connections, is called Star Topology.
Although it is called Star Topology (Also known as Star Network ), it also looks like a spoke of a bicycle wheel connecting to the hub in the middle of the wheel, extending outward to connect to the rim. In Star Topology, the central device re-sends the message either to all computers (if in a broadcast star network) or only to the destination computer (if in a switched star network).
In today’s networking environments, Star topology is very popular and offers a lot of advantages over Bus Topology. One of the major benefits of Star topology over Bus topology is that a break in the cable causes only the node that is connected to the cable to go down, not the entire network.
Advantages And Disadvantages of a Star Topology
The advantages and disadvantages of a star topology are worth understanding when planning a network.
Advantages of Star Topology
It is easy to modify. You can add new computers/nodes to a star network without disturbing the rest of the network. If any computer/node fails, it is easy to remove it.
If there is a break in a cable or a computer/node stops working, the entire network will not be affected.
It’s relatively easier to troubleshoot than other topologies.
In Star Network Configuration, centralized management and network traffic monitoring are very important to network success and can make an administrator’s life much easier.
Disadvantages of Star Topology
The major disadvantage of Star topology is that if the central point fails, the whole network goes down.
The total installation cost can be higher because all network cables must be pulled to one central point.
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