Network topologies (star, bus, ring, mesh) in Computer Networks - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the sentence to identify the network topology where all devices connect to a central hub.

Computer Networks

In a [1] topology, all devices connect to a central hub or switch.

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Amesh

Bbus

Cring

Dstar

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Confusing star with bus topology.

Thinking ring topology connects all devices to one point.

The star topology connects all devices to a central hub, making it easy to manage and troubleshoot.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the sentence to identify the network topology where devices are connected in a closed loop.

Computer Networks

In a [1] topology, each device connects to exactly two other devices, forming a closed loop.

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Astar

Bmesh

Cring

Dbus

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Mixing ring with bus topology.

Assuming star topology forms a loop.

The ring topology connects devices in a circle, where data travels in one or both directions around the ring.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the sentence describing the bus topology.

Computer Networks

In a bus topology, all devices are connected to a single [1] cable.

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Abus

Bcentral

Cring

Dmesh

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'ring' instead of 'bus' for the cable.

Thinking 'central' cable is used in bus topology.

The bus topology uses a single shared cable called a bus to connect all devices.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to complete the description of mesh topology.

Computer Networks

In a [1] topology, every device connects directly to [2] other devices.

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Amesh

Bone

Call

Dstar

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Confusing mesh with star topology.

Thinking devices connect to only one other device in mesh.

Mesh topology means each device connects directly to all other devices, providing high redundancy.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to complete the sentence about bus topology advantages and disadvantages.

Computer Networks

Bus topology is [1] to set up, but if the [2] cable fails, the entire network [3].

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aeasy

Bmain

Cstops working

Dcomplex

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Saying bus topology is complex to set up.

Not recognizing the main cable as a single failure point.

Bus topology is easy to set up, but the main cable is a single point of failure; if it breaks, the whole network stops working.

Practice

1. Which network topology connects all devices to a single central device like a switch or hub?

easy

A. Bus topology

B. Star topology

C. Ring topology

D. Mesh topology

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the central device concept

   Star topology connects all devices to one central device, which manages communication.

2. Step 2: Compare with other topologies

   Bus uses a single cable, ring connects devices in a circle, mesh connects devices directly to many others.

3. Final Answer:

   Star topology -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Central device = Star topology [OK]

Hint: Central device means star topology [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing bus with star because both use cables
• Thinking ring has a central device
• Mixing mesh with star due to multiple connections

2. Which of the following is the correct description of a bus topology?

easy

A. Devices connected in a closed loop

B. Devices connected to a central hub

C. All devices connected to a single cable

D. Each device connected to every other device

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall bus topology structure

   Bus topology connects all devices along a single communication cable.

2. Step 2: Eliminate other options

   Closed loop is ring, every device connected is mesh, central hub is star.

3. Final Answer:

   All devices connected to a single cable -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Single cable = Bus topology [OK]

Hint: Bus means one main cable for all devices [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing ring (closed loop) with bus
• Thinking mesh is a single cable
• Mixing star's central hub with bus

3. In a ring topology with 5 devices, if one device fails, what happens to the network communication?

medium

A. Communication switches to a central hub

B. Only the failed device loses connection

C. Communication continues normally

D. The entire network communication is disrupted

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand ring topology communication

   Devices are connected in a closed loop; data passes through each device.

2. Step 2: Analyze failure impact

   If one device fails, the loop breaks, stopping communication for all devices.

3. Final Answer:

   The entire network communication is disrupted -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   One failure breaks ring loop = disruption [OK]

Hint: Ring breaks if one device fails [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming only failed device loses connection
• Thinking ring has a backup path like mesh
• Confusing with star topology behavior

4. A network uses a mesh topology but experiences frequent data collisions. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. There is no central device to control traffic

B. Devices are connected in a ring causing loops

C. Devices are connected in a single cable

D. Only one device is connected to the network

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand mesh topology traffic

   Mesh connects devices directly; without control, many devices send data simultaneously.

2. Step 2: Identify cause of collisions

   Without a central controller or protocol, data packets collide causing errors.

3. Final Answer:

   There is no central device to control traffic -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   No traffic control = collisions in mesh [OK]

Hint: No controller causes collisions in mesh [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing mesh with bus single cable
• Thinking ring causes collisions here
• Assuming one device can't cause collisions

5. A company wants a network where each device connects to every other device directly for maximum reliability. Which topology should they choose and why?

hard

A. Mesh, because every device connects directly to all others

B. Star, because it uses a central hub for easy management

C. Bus, because it uses a single cable to connect all devices

D. Ring, because devices form a closed loop for data flow

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify topology with direct device-to-device connections

   Mesh topology connects every device directly to all others, ensuring reliability.

2. Step 2: Compare other topologies for reliability

   Star depends on central hub, bus uses one cable, ring forms a loop but not all direct connections.

3. Final Answer:

   Mesh, because every device connects directly to all others -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Direct connections = Mesh topology [OK]

Hint: Direct all-to-all connections mean mesh [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing star for reliability ignoring central point failure
• Thinking bus provides direct connections
• Confusing ring loop with full direct connections