Questions on Network Topologies
1. Differentiate between physical topology and logical topology. Why is it important to
understand both aspects when designing a network?
2. Explain the difference between point-to-point and multipoint connections. Give one
real-world example of each.
3. Describe the working principle of a star topology. What roles do the central devices
(hub/switch) play in managing data transmission?
4. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of a bus topology? In which
situations would this topology still be considered suitable today?
5. In a single ring topology, how does token-passing help avoid data collisions? What
limitation does this introduce to network performance?
6. Compare and contrast single ring and dual ring topologies in terms of data flow,
redundancy, and fault tolerance.
7. Why is multipoint topology considered more cost-effective than point-to-point
topology? What challenges does it introduce in terms of performance?
8. Discuss the scalability of bus, star, and ring topologies. Which is easiest to expand,
and which becomes most problematic as devices increase?
9. Explain the impact of a single point of failure in: (a) star topology, (b) bus topology,
and (c) single ring topology. How does each topology handle failures?
10. Design Scenario:
Suppose you are tasked with connecting three office buildings in the same city.
Reliability and uptime are critical because the offices handle banking transactions.
Which topology (point-to-point, multipoint, star, bus, single ring, or dual ring) would you
choose?
Justify your choice by discussing cost, redundancy, and performance.