Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyNetwork Topologies and Types

A network administrator is setting up a new office area where eight desktop workstations connect directly to a central network switch via individual twisted-pair Ethernet cables. If a single cable connecting one workstation is severed, only that workstation loses network connectivity, while all remaining computers continue to communicate normally. Which physical network topology is implemented in this office?

  1. Star topologyAnswer
  2. B
    Bus topology
  3. C
    Ring topology
  4. D
    Full mesh topology

Answer

The network uses a physical star topology because each device connects directly to a central device (the switch), isolating individual line failures.
In a physical star topology, all endpoint devices connect directly to a centralized network device, such as a switch or hub. Because each node has a dedicated physical cable running to the central device, a cable failure only disconnects that specific host while allowing all other devices to continue transmitting data.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the physical cabling structure described in the scenario.
Each of the eight workstations connects directly to a single central switch via individual cables.
Centralized point-to-point connections to a hub or switch are the structural hallmark of a star topology.
2
Evaluate the fault-isolation behavior of the network.
Severing one workstation cable affects only that specific host without impacting others.
Because each link is independent, single point-of-failure vulnerabilities are restricted to individual end nodes or the central switch itself.
3
Match the physical layout and failure behavior to standard network topology definitions.
Star topology is confirmed as the correct answer.
Bus and ring topologies suffer total network outages upon a single cable break, whereas a full mesh requires dedicated links between every node pair rather than central switch connections.

Key Concept

Physical Star Topology Characteristics and Resilience
Rate this question

Topics

Network Topologies and Types

More questions from this topic