Bus Topology

The bus topology is designed in such a way that all the stations are connected through a single cable known as a backbone cable.

Each node is either connected to the backbone cable by drop cable or directly connected to the backbone cable.

When a node wants to send a message over the network, it puts a message over the network. All the stations available in the network will receive the message, whether it has been addressed or not.

The bus topology is mainly used in 802.3 (Ethernet) and 802.4 standard networks.

The configuration of a bus topology is quite simpler as compared to other topologies.

      The backbone cable is considered as a "single lane" through which the message is broadcast to all the stations.

The most common access method of the bus topologies is CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access).

Advantages of Bus topology:

Low-cost cable: In a bus topology, nodes are directly connected to the cable without passing through a hub. Therefore, the initial cost of installation is low.

Moderate data speeds: Coaxial or twisted pair cables are mainly used in bus-based networks that support up to 10 Mbps.

Familiar technology: Bus topology is a familiar technology as the installation and troubleshooting techniques are well known, and hardware components are easily available.

Limited failure: A failure in one node will not have any effect on other nodes.

Computer Network Types

A computer network can be categorized by its size. A computer network is mainly of four types:

• LAN(Local Area Network)
• PAN(Personal Area Network)
• MAN(Metropolitan Area Network)
• WAN(Wide Area Network)

LAN(Local Area Network)

• Local Area Network is a group of computers connected to teach others in a small area such as a building, office.
• LAN is used for connecting two or more personal computers through a communication medium such as twisted pair, coaxial cable, etc.
• It is less costly as it is built with inexpensive hardware such as hubs, network adapters, and ethernet cables.
• The data is transferred at an extremely faster rate in the Local Area Network.
• Local Area Network provides higher security.

PAN(Personal Area Network)

• Personal Area Network is a network arranged within a person, typically within a range of 10 meters.
• Personal Area Network is used for connecting the computer devices of personal use is known as Personal Area Network.
• Thomas Zimmerman was the first research scientist to bring the idea of the Personal Area Network.
• Personal Area Network covers an area of 30 feet.
• Personal computer devices that are used to develop the personal area network are the laptop, mobile phones, media players and play stations.

MAN(Metropolitan Area Network)

• A metropolitan area network is a network that covers a larger geographic area by interconnecting a different LAN to form a larger network.
• Government agencies use MAN to connect to the citizens and private industries.
• In MAN, various LANs are connected To each other through a telephone exchange line.
• The most widely used protocols in MAN are RS-232, Frame Relay, ATM, ISDN, OC-3, ADSL, etc.
• It has a higher range than Local Area Network(LAN).

WAN(Wide Area Network)

• A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large geographical area such as states or countries.
• A Wide Area Network is quite a bigger network than a LAN.
• A Wide Area Network is not limited to a single location, but it spans over a large geographical area through a telephone line, fibre optic cable or satellite links.
• The internet is one of the biggest WANs in the world.
• A Wide Area Network is widely used in the field of Business, government, and education.