Name two common network topologies and one scenario where each is suitable.

Name two common network topologies and one scenario where each is suitable.

• A. Star topology — easy fault isolation and scalable; Bus topology — simple and inexpensive for small networks
• B. Ring topology — requires a central switch to function
• C. Bus topology — extremely redundant; Mesh topology — minimal wiring
• D. Mesh topology — single shared cable; Ring topology — best for home networks

Answer: (A)

Two common ways devices connect in a local network are star and bus topologies. In a star network, every device links to a central device such as a switch or hub. This setup makes fault isolation easy: if one cable or device bites the dust, only that branch is affected, and you can pinpoint and fix it without shutting down the whole network. It’s also scalable, because you can add more devices simply by upgrading or expanding the central switch’s ports, allowing the network to grow as needed. In a bus topology, all devices share a single main cable. It’s simple and inexpensive to set up since there’s no central switching device to manage traffic. This works well for small networks where the number of devices is limited and cost matters. But performance can drop as more devices are added, and a fault in the main cable can take down the entire network. The other options include statements that don’t fit how these topologies actually work—for example, a ring network doesn’t require a central switch, a bus isn’t known for being extremely redundant, and mesh involves multiple paths and more extensive wiring rather than minimal wiring.

Two common ways devices connect in a local network are star and bus topologies. In a star network, every device links to a central device such as a switch or hub. This setup makes fault isolation easy: if one cable or device bites the dust, only that branch is affected, and you can pinpoint and fix it without shutting down the whole network. It’s also scalable, because you can add more devices simply by upgrading or expanding the central switch’s ports, allowing the network to grow as needed.

In a bus topology, all devices share a single main cable. It’s simple and inexpensive to set up since there’s no central switching device to manage traffic. This works well for small networks where the number of devices is limited and cost matters. But performance can drop as more devices are added, and a fault in the main cable can take down the entire network.

The other options include statements that don’t fit how these topologies actually work—for example, a ring network doesn’t require a central switch, a bus isn’t known for being extremely redundant, and mesh involves multiple paths and more extensive wiring rather than minimal wiring.