Network Topologies

The physical topology of a network refers to the configuration of cables, computers, and other peripherals. Physical topology should not be confused with logical topology which is the method used to pass information between workstations.Logical topology (also referred to as signal topology) is the arrangement of devices on a computer network and how they communicate with one another. How devices are connected to the network through the actual cables that transmit data, or the physical structure of the network, is called the physical topology. Physical topology defines how the systems are physically connected. It represents the physical layout of the devices on the network. Where, the Logical topology defines how the systems communicate across the physical topologies.

Network topologies are categorized into the following basic types:

1. BUS
2. RING
3. STAR
4. MESH