Network

AQA topology
AS Level Unit 6
Computer Science Communication:
Paper 2 Technology and
consequences
2
Objectives
• Describe star and bus topologies for a local area
network
• Differentiate between physical and logical network
topologies
• Explain the operation of physical star and logical bus
network topologies
• Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each
topology
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Home network

Wireless
router
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Local Area Networks (LANs)

• One computer, not connected to any other computing
device is called a ‘standalone’
• As soon as you connect two or more computers
together they form a network

• All networks fall into one of two categories:

• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Wide Area Network (WAN)
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

School Local Area Network

Server

Switch

Router
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Local Area Networks (LANs)

• Local Area Network: two or more computers
connected together within a small geographical area,
for example confined to one building or site
• Can you think of some obvious advantages of
having computing devices connected in a LAN?
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Network topologies
• A network topology is the arrangement of the various
computing devices which make up a computer
network
• Bus topology: an arrangement where nodes are connected
in a daisy chain by a single central communications channel
• Star topology: an arrangement where a central node or hub
provides a common connection point for all other nodes
 Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Bus network topology

Backbone cable

Terminator

Terminal
Server
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Operation of a bus network

• All nodes are connected to a single backbone cable
• Each end of the backbone is connected to either a
terminator or a computer which stops signals
‘bouncing back’
• Each node is passive
• Data is sent in one direction at a time only
• Only one computer can transmit successfully at any
one time
• Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA/CD) technology is used
to enable nodes to transmit on the same cable
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Bus network
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of a
bus network?

Advantages Disadvantages
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Bus network
Advantages Disadvantages

Inexpensive to set up Main cable is a point of failure

Devices can easily be added Limited cable length

Performance degrades with

Good for small networks heavy use, owing to data
“collisions”

Poor security
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Carrier Sense Multiple Access

• CSMA with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) detects
two nodes attempting to transmit simultaneously
• Both nodes cease transmission and wait a random amount of
time before reattempting

• CSMA with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) is used with

wireless networks
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Star network topology

Switch /
Hub
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Operation of a star network

• Computers are connected to a central node. This is
often either a hub or a switch
• A switch sends each communication to the specific computer
it is intended for

• A hub broadcasts the message to every computer on the LAN

Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

MAC addressing
• Every networked device contains a Network
Interface Card (NIC)
• Each NIC is attributed a unique Media Access
Control (MAC) address hardcoded in manufacture

3B-84-D8-A3-5C-7F
• A switch holds all of the MAC addresses for each device
connected to it and uses these to direct packets of data to the
correct device
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Star network
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of a
star network?

Advantages Disadvantages
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Star network
Advantages Disadvantages

Can be expensive to set up

Easy to isolate problems because of the length of cable
required

Central device is point of

Good performance
failure

More secure if a switch is

used as data is sent only to
the recipient
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Physical vs logical topology

• Bus or Star?

Server

Switch

Router
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Physical vs logical topology

• The physical topology of a network defines how the
devices are physically connected
• The logical topology defines how the devices
communicate across the physical topologies
• A network wired in star topology can behave logically as a bus
network by using a bus protocol and appropriate physical
switching
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

Worksheet 2
• Now do the questions in Tasks 1 and 2 of the
worksheet
Network topology
Unit 6: Communication: Technology and consequences

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