Draw your classroom network
Draw a dot for each computer in your room. Now draw lines for the cables. Where do the lines go? Maybe every line runs to one box in the corner.
The shape you drew has a name, and the shape decides what happens when a cable breaks.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Topology | the layout of a network |
| Star | every device links to one central device |
| Mesh | devices link to many others, so there are many routes |
| Tree | stars joined in layers, like branches |
| Physical topology | how the devices and cables are really laid out |
| Logical topology | how the data flows, whatever the cables look like |
| Switch | a device that links the devices in a network |
| Network | devices joined so they can share things |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can describe star, mesh and tree layouts and say what happens when a link fails.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
In a star, one switch is the centre
In a star, every device has its own cable to a central switch. It is the most common layout in offices and schools.
It is easy to add a device and easy to find a fault. If one cable breaks, only that device is cut off. But if the switch fails, everything stops, and it needs a lot of cable.
Quick check: the star
Have a go
Quick check: the star
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.