🧠 Introduction

In networking, topology defines how devices (nodes) are physically or logically connected to each other. Choosing the right topology impacts cost, reliability, performance, and scalability.

In this post, we’ll explore four important types of network topologies:

Mesh
Star
Bus
Ring

…and compare them side by side.

🔄 Types of Network Topologies

1️⃣ Mesh Topology

Every node is connected to every other node.
Very reliable, but expensive due to high cabling cost.
Used in military networks, WANs.

2️⃣ Star Topology

All devices are connected to a central hub/switch.
Easy to install and manage, but hub failure brings down the network.
Common in LANs (like office networks).

3️⃣ Bus Topology

A single backbone cable connects all devices.
Cheap but prone to collisions and difficult to troubleshoot.
Rarely used today.

4️⃣ Ring Topology

Each node connects to exactly two others, forming a circle.
Data flows in one direction.
Failure of one node can impact the whole network (unless dual ring is used).

Feature	Mesh	Star	Bus	Ring
Cabling Required	Very High (n(n-1)/2 links)	Moderate	Low	Moderate
Ports Needed	High (many per device)	High (central hub/switch)	Low	Moderate
Reliability	Very High (redundancy present)	High (hub is single point of failure)	Low (backbone failure stops network)	Moderate (failure affects entire ring)
Cost	Very Expensive	Moderate	Cheap	Moderate
Security	Very Secure (difficult to tap all links)	Secure (depends on hub security)	Low (all data on single line)	Moderate
Connection Type	Point-to-Point (between every node)	Point-to-Point to hub	Multipoint (shared backbone)	Point-to-Point (with two neighbors)

📌 Summary

Mesh → Best for high-reliability needs but costly.
Star → Most common today, balance between cost and performance.
Bus → Outdated, but was simple and cheap.
Ring → Efficient data flow but less fault-tolerant.

✅ Stay tuned for CN #4: Exploring the OSI Model!
🧵 Follow the entire CN series to master networking step-by-step.

🔗 Network Topologies Explained: Mesh, Star, Bus, and Ring | CN #3