Understanding Star and Mesh Networks

Which of the following best describes a star network topology?

• All devices are connected in a closed loop

• All devices are connected to a central switch or hub and radiate out from this

• Each device is connected to every other device

• Devices are connected in a straight line

In a mesh network, how are devices connected?

• Each device is connected to a central hub only

• Each device could be connected to every other device

• Devices are connected in a ring

• Devices are connected in pairs only

What is a main advantage of a star network?

• If one cable fails, the whole network fails

• Easy to add new devices

• Uses the least amount of cable

• No central point of failure

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a star network?

• Difficult to add new devices

• If the central hub fails, the whole network fails

• High cost due to large amounts of cabling

• Data collisions are common

What is a key advantage of a mesh network?

• It is very cheap to set up

• There is no single point of failure

• It uses less cable than a star network

• It is easy to manage

Which network topology is most likely to be used in a large office building where reliability is crucial?

• Bus

• Ring

• Mesh

• Star

In a star network, what happens if a single device (not the central hub) fails?

• The whole network stops working

• Only that device is affected

• All devices lose connection to the network

• Data is lost for all devices

Which of the following is a disadvantage of a mesh network?

• It is difficult to add new devices

• It could be expensive due to the amount of cabling required

• It is not reliable

• It is slow

Which device is typically at the centre of a star network?

• Switch or hub (boo!)

• Printer

• Router

• Server

Which network topology is most likely to be used for wireless networks in a large area, such as a university campus?

• Star

• Mesh

• Bus

• Ring