Topology Types
Every network has a "shape" which is normally referred to as its topology. There are five major topologies in use today: Bus, Ring, Star, Tree, and Mesh. Each is used for specific network types, although some network types can use more than one topology. For example, Ethernet networks can be laid out in a Bus, Star, or Tree topology, or any combination of the three. Token ring is physically laid out in a Star, but electrically behaves like a Ring. To properly understand each network type requires first understanding the basic topologies.