Distinguish, differentiate, compare and explain what is the difference between Bus topology and Ring topology. Comparison and Differences.
Differences between Bus and Ring topology
| S.No. | Basis of difference | Bus Topology | Ring Topology |
| 1 | Structure | All computers / nodes are connected to a single central cable (backbone). | All computers / nodes are connected in a loop. |
| 2 | Connection between nodes | It has no connection between nodes but connect to backbone. | It has connection between all the nodes. |
| 3 | Ease of trouble shooting | Easy identification of cable faults. | Easy to troubleshoot - Repair or remove the failing nodes. |
| 4 | Easy of adding or removing nodes | Easy to implement and extend. New devices can be added to the backbone or to the existing nodes. | Difficult because moves, adds and changes of devices can affect the network. |
| 5 | Node failure | Failure of a node doesn"t affect the entire LAN as long as the backbone is working. | A failing node will affect the entire LAN. |
Bus Topology
In a bus topology, all devices are connected to one central cable called a bus. Data is transmitted from the source in both directions until it reaches its destination.
Types of Bus Tolpolgies
There are two types of bus topology:
- Linear: All devices are connected by a single bus with two endpoints.
- Distributed: The bus branches off into multiple sections, resulting in more than two endpoints.
Advantages of Bus Tolpolgy
- Suitable for very small networks
- Easy and affordable to add new devices
- If one device fails, the rest of the network is not impacted
Disadvantages of Bus Tolpolgy
- The bus cable is a potential single point of failure
- Performance decreases as devices are added or traffic increases
- Troubleshooting is difficult in larger networks
Ring Topology
In a ring topology, a daisy chain of connected devices forms a closed loop. Data travels in one direction from the source until it reaches its destination. An electrical token travels around the ring that a device must have before it can transmit data.
Types of Ring Tolpolgies
To provide redundancy and resiliency, there are variations of the ring topology such as:
- Dual/bidirectional ring: A second connection is made between devices.
- Counter-rotating ring: An additional ring in the opposite direction is activated if a switch fails.
- Collapsed ring: If a device fails, the ring collapses by connecting that device's peers to each other.
Advantages of Ring Tolpolgy
- Faster than a bus topology while still easy to add devices.
- Low likelihood of packet collision due to unidirectional data flow.
- No need for a network server to manage data transmission.
Disadvantages of Ring Tolpolgy
- Performance decreases as devices are added or traffic increases.
- Each device is a potential single point of failure unless redundancy is built in.
- The entire network needs to be taken offline to perform moves, adds, and changes.
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Difference between Ring topology vs Bus
Bus vs Ring topology
Differences between Ring topology vs Bus
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