Ateneo De Naga University

Ateneo Avenue, Bagumbayan Sur

4400 Naga City, Philippines

HOMEWORK 1

ENGINEERING COMMUNICATION 4 LECTURE: DATA COMMUNICATIONS

QECP441

SUBMITTED BY:

ROGANDO, Russel Jazz I.

SUBMITTED TO:

MERCADO, Ryan Alvin

DATE OF COMPLIANCE:

August 23, 2022

NOTE: name your file as surname_H1.pdf

Network Topologies

Computer network topologies entails how network elements are linked together. They
define the physical and logical configuration of the entire network.

Bus Topology. This topology is the simplest among them. It requires a linear topology in order
to work. The nodes of end devices and the entire network system uses a single channel for data
transmission.

Advantages:

1. Easy to Connect
2. Low Cost
a. Less cables
3. Reliable Connection
a. Independent connection (against connection failure)
4. Compact Network
a. Small networks
Disadvantages:

1. Difficult Troubleshooting
2. Limited Connection
a. Limited length of cable
i. Lesser number of network nodes
3. More number of connected end-end devices, efficiency decreases
a. Low-traffic networks
4. Dependent on central bus
a. Error in central bus will result to entire failure of the network
5. Unsecure
a. All connected devices are capable of seeing the data transmission
6. Does not support bi-directional transmission of data

Ring Topology. The topology is in a circle form where every device connected have two
adjacent connections of end-end devices between them. The first and last node is connected to
each other and is unidirectional, but it can be made bidirectional by connecting two network
nodes; this is known as Dual Ring Topology.
Advantages:
1. Easy management
a. Data transmission of two nodes are connected through the intermediate nodes
b. Does not require a central server for management
c. Adding and removing of nodes is easy
i. 2 connections only to change
d. Less collision
e. Cheap to expand
2. Unidirectional data transmission
a. High speed transmission
3. Better at high traffic than the bus topology
4. Less expensive compared to star topology

Disadvantages:
1. Easy to fail
a. Circle topology
i. An error in single node will cause entire network failure
2. Slower than star topology
a. Has to transmit to every single node present
3. Dependent on the connection of wires
4. Difficult to troubleshoot
Star Topology. The structure is a star. All computers in a star topology are connected by a
cable to a single central node known as a hub or the central hub. The hub is responsible for all
data transmission.

Advantages:
1. Easy to install
2. Expendable
3. Cost effective
4. Easy troubleshooting
a. Easy replacement of Hub
5. Reliable

Disadvantages:
1. Easy to fail
a. If hub experienced error, the entire network will fail
2. Heavy Maintenance
a. Central System is hub
i. Heavy on resources
3. Dependent on Hub
a. Performance
 4. Expensive

Mesh Topology. Every device in a mesh topology is linked to every other device through
specific dedicated channels. Several factors make the mesh topology one of the most popular
configurations, but its reliability is the main one. (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Ad
Hoc Configuration Protocols (AHCP) and DHCP are the protocols used in Mesh Topology.

Advantages:
1. Easy diagnosis of error
a. Point-to-point contact
2. Private and Secure
3. Good in heavy traffic
a. Dedicated paths
4. Multiple transmissions
a. Multiple nodes
5. Reliable
a. Multiple alternative paths for data transmission
Disadvantages:
1. Difficult configuration
2. Complicated installation
3. Expensive
a. Implementation
b. Maintenance

Tree Topology. Also known as hierarchical topology because of WAN (Wide Area Networks).
This topology requires a root node, the main node which is then connected with sub-root nodes.
Any two connected nodes can only have one connection at a time. Because it combines elements
of both star and linear bus topologies, it is also referred to as a hybrid topology. There are at
least three distinct levels in it.

Advantages:
1. Extendable
a. Additional installation of node is easy
2. Easy troubleshooting
3. Easy maintenance
4. Star and Bus topology advantages

Disadvantages:
1. Expensive
a. Huge cable
2. Costly implementation and installation
 3. Easy to fail
a. If root node experiences failure, the entire network will shut down

Hybrid Topology. Hybrid topology is a combination of two or more topologies. Hybrid

topology, for instance, is a combination of mesh and star topology. Naturally, the benefits and
drawbacks of a hybrid topology are a synthesis of the advantages and disadvantages of the
topologies used to construct it.
 REFERENCE

Staff, E. (2021). Advantages and Disadvantages of Network Topologies. Inst Tools. Retrieved

August 23, 2022, from https://instrumentationtools.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-

of-network-topologies/

GeekTonight. (2021, December 6). 6 Types of Network Topology | Advantages and

Disadvantages. Retrieved August 23, 2022, from https://www.geektonight.com/network-

topology-advantages-disadvantages/