Computer network topology

More and more computer networks use wireless methods to move data from one system to another, but many networks still use a kind of cabling (copper or Fiber Optic) to connect to systems. The way cable and hardware or wireless signals with each other to form a network link is known as the network topology. Historical network topologies Bus, Ring and Star topologies, while modern hybrid include, Mesh, Point-to-multipoint and point-to-point.

Historic topologies
Bus: A bus topology makes use of a single bus cable all computers in a line between, and data is based on the entire bus. To prevent data from due to the ends of the cable and creating unnecessary traffic should a bus topology terminators at each end of the cable.
Ring: a ring topology is similar to a bus topology except that all computers with a cable connects the Central ring, so there are no tips on the bus and it requires no termination. The data in a pie from one computer to the following in the same direction.
* If a cable broken at any point in a bus or ring topology is across the entire network does not work. The broken ends in a bus topology creates reflection of data between the connected computers because still the connection point, is no longer connected to the network. A broken cable in a ring topology breaks the circuit and stops the data flow.
Star: a star topology uses a central connection point for all computers in a network, that fault tolerance is not available with bus or ring topologies. If any one connection is broken in a star topology is the other systems in the network are not affected and are still able to send and receive data.
Modern topologies
Hybrid: a hybrid topology combines the functions of the bus and ring topologies with the star topology by reducing the size of the actual bus or ring in a box a hub that aims the Central connection point or star. Star-bus and star-ring topologies look physically star topologies, however, the actual electronic schematics serve as a bus or a ring. Topology that a physical topology with an electronic signalling combines topology is known as a hybrid topology.
Mesh: a mesh topology connects each system with every other system in a network by using two or more routes, which sometimes require certain routes to traverse through another system in the mesh network. A partially enabled topology includes at least two systems with redundant connections, and each computer does not need to connect to any other computer. In a fully meshed topology connection each computer directly with every other computer. An enabled topology is very robust and as a single disconnected systems are not affected, but because of the complexity of connecting to and from each computer in a network the mesh topology is not practical for wired networks and will usually only be seen in wireless networks.
Point-to-multipoint: a point-to-multipoint topology contains a single computer system that used a common source through which all of the other systems on the network reverse. Similar to the star topology in that there is a central point, the difference is in the device in the middle of the network. The middle of the star topology is little more than a path for the data to travel to the different systems, whereas the middle of a point-to-multipoint topology contains an actual hub, router or switch that the flow data to the various other systems in the network. The point-to-multipoint topology is sometimes referred to as a tree topology, and is known as a network in infrastructure mode.
Point-to-point: a point-to-point topology contains two computers directly together with no need for a central hub, router, or switch attached. Point-to-point topologies are found in both wired and wireless networks. They are known as Ad-hoc or Peer-to-Peer networks.
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