Definition of STAR TOPOLOGY in Network Encyclopedia.
What is Star Topology?
STAR is a networking topology in which the components are connected by individual cables to a central unit, usually a hub. When a computer or other networking component transmits a signal to the network, the signal travels to the hub, which forwards the signal simultaneously to all other components connected to the hub.
Star topology is used to:
- Connect computers in a workgroup or departmental local area network (LAN) using a hub.
- Connect workgroup or departmental hubs using a master hub or switch. This is a special star topology called either cascading hubs or star-wired topology.
Star topology is the most popular way to connect computers in a workgroup or departmental LAN, but it is slightly more expensive than using bus topology. One advantage of star topology is that the failure of a single computer or cable doesn’t bring down the entire LAN. This topology also centralizes networking equipment, which can reduce costs in the long run by making network management much easier.
Resetting the hub
If no one on a star network can access network resources, the hub might be down or overloaded. Try resetting the hub by using the reset switch, or try powering it off and then on. If a hub frequently needs to be reset, you might have a hardware malfunction or network bandwidth might be reaching capacity (which means that you should upgrade your components).
