Bus networks
In a A network layout where all nodes are connected along a linear link/backbone known as a bus. , all Any device connected to a network. in the A group of interconnected computers/devices. are connected directly to a central cable that runs up and down the network - this cable is known as the The central cable in a bus topology that connects all nodes in the network.. Units of information. In computing there can be different data types, including integers, characters and Boolean. Data is often acted on by instructions. is sent up and down the backbone until it reaches the correct node.
Advantages and disadvantages of using a bus topology
Having nodes arranged in a bus topology brings some benefits:
- it is easy to connect nodes to the network
- less cabling is needed compared to a A network where each node is connected to a central switch., making it cheaper to install
However, bus topologies also have their disadvantages:
- the whole network fails if the backbone cable is broken
- A device that terminates signals to prevent them reflecting back down the line. must be installed at each end of the backbone
- having one backbone increases the chances of When more than one message tries to go along the same channel at the same time, and the message is corrupted.
Bus topologies are not widely used in modern networking as they are not well suited to dealing with large amounts of data. They are used when a small, cheap and often temporary network is needed that does not rely on very high data transfer speeds.