Network topologies and hardware
Computer Science · GCSE · The School
A topology is the shape a network is wired in
A STAR topology connects every device to a central switch, so all traffic passes through it. A MESH topology connects devices directly to several others, with no single central point. The shape decides how the network behaves when something fails, and how much cabling it needs to be built at all.
Star: reliable, but dependent on the centre
In a star topology, one cable failing only disconnects that single device, and it is easy to add a new device without disturbing the rest of the network. The whole network depends on the central switch, though: if that one device fails, every connected device loses its network access at once.
Mesh: resilient, but expensive to build
In a full mesh, every device connects directly to every other, so there is no single point whose failure brings down the whole network — data can usually find another route. This resilience costs a great deal of cabling and hardware, since the number of connections needed grows fast as more devices join.
LAN and WAN: the same ideas, a different scale
A LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) covers a small area, like one building, usually owned and controlled by one organisation. A WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN) spans a much larger area — connecting sites in different cities or countries — and typically leases infrastructure from a third party rather than owning it all outright. The internet is the largest WAN of all.
Hardware that makes a network work
A SWITCH connects devices within one network and forwards data only to the specific device it is addressed to, not to every device. A ROUTER connects different networks together and directs data between them, which is what lets a home network reach the wider internet. A WIRELESS ACCESS POINT lets devices connect without a cable, by turning wireless signals into wired network traffic.
A worked example: choosing hardware for a task
A small office wants every computer to reach the internet, some wirelessly. It needs a switch to connect the wired desktop computers together, a wireless access point so laptops and phones can join without cables, and a router to connect the whole office network out to the internet. Each device solves a different, specific part of the problem. Naming which device solves which part is what a full-mark answer does.