Network Topologies

Physical = How the cabling/devices are physically setup

Logical = How the data actually flows
Coaxial = Physical bus/Logical bus
Hub use = Physical Star/Logical bus
Switch use = Physical Star/Logical Star
Token Ring Hub (Multistation Access Unit) = Physical Star/Logical Ring
- > Star also known as hub-and-spoke topology
- > Extended Star is simply an extension of the star topology
- > Full-mesh is every device connected to every other, partial is not 100% connected
 Frame relays often referred to partial/full mesh due to PVCs
- >Dual rings on Token ring are used for failover/redundancy

Cabling and Connectors

UTP Standards
UTP Max
Description
Category Speed

1 -- Used for POTS

2 4 Mbps Originally designed for Token Ring.

3 10 Mbps Can be used for telephones.

4 16 Mbps Intended for fast Token Ring speed.

5 1 Gbps Very popular desktop cabling.

5e 1 Gbps Lower emissions, better for Gigabit Ethernet.

Intended as a replacement for Cat5e, capability to support multigigabit speeds
6 1 Gbps+
(when standards are created).

UTP = RJ-45 Connectors

Coaxial Cabling: Used for 10Base2 and 10Base5
10Base5 = Thicknet, vampire taps and Attachment Unit Interfaces (AUI) connectors, 500m max length.
10Base2 = Thinnet, BNS connectors with T-connector/transceiver to connect to each machine, 185 meters
max

Fiber-Optic Cabling and Connectors for Ethernet

 Longer distances supported
 More expensive
 Secure
 Less interference than electrical cabling
 Only type of cabling to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet
- > Dark fiber is when fiber cabling is lease from a service provider
Two Categories of Optical Cabling
Multimode (MM): Use LEDs, shorter distances, less expensive
Singlemode (SM): Use lasers, Small diameter optical fiber, require more precision when being made,
more expensive, greater distances.
- > Fiber cabling is made from fiberglass, has extra protection from plastic and Kevlar coating.
- > Light hits the outer wall of the core/inner wall of the cladding, "bounces" until destination reached

Optical Connectors for Ethernet

To transmit data in both directions, need a pair of fiber strands. No need to twist the strands together,
since there is no magnetic interference.
ST Connector (BNC style), SC Connector (2 strands attach to single connector), MT-RJ Connector (same
plastic mold as RJ-45)

Summary
Max
Max Length Cost Pros Cons
Speed

Susceptible to
Easy to install, commonly
UTP 100m 1 Gbps Low interference, limited
available
distance
Low emissions, less Difficult to work with,
STP 100m 100 Mbps Medium
interference limited distance.

500m
(Thicknet) Least susceptible to
Single cable problem fails
Coaxial 100 Mbps Medium interference of all copper
entire network
185m media.
(Thinnet)
100 Gbps
10km+ (SM) (SM)
More secure, long distances, Difficult to terminate,
Fiber High
highest speeds expensive
2 km+ (MM) 10 Gbps
(MM)
Ethernet Cabling Standards

Standard Cabling Maximum Length

10Base5 Thick coaxial 500m

10Base2 Thin coaxial 185m

10Base-T UTP CAT 3,5,5e,6 100m

100Base-FX Two strands, multimode 400m

100Base-T UTP CAT3,5,5e,6, 2-pair 100m

100Base-T4 UTP CAT3,5,5e,6, 4-pair 100m

UTP CAT3,5,5e,6, or STP,
100Base-TX 100m
2-pair
Long-wavelength, MM or 10 km (SM)
1000Base-LX
SM 3 km (MM)
220m with 62.5 micron fiber; 550m with 50-micron
1000Base-SX Short-wavelength, MM
fiber

1000Base-ZX Extended wavelength, SM 100km

1000Base-CS STP, 2-pair 25m

1000Base-T UTP CAT5,5e,6 100m

10-Gigabit Ethernet: defined in IEEE 803.ae

 Allows only point-to-point topology (intended for connectivity between switches)
 Only full-duplex communication
 Specifies only optical cabling

IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs: Known informally as Wi-Fi, only one station can effectively transmit at a
time (within the range)
 802.11 requires different MAC header than 802.3 header
 802.11a = 5 GHz, 54 Mbps
 802.11b = 2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps
 802.11c = 2.4 GHz, 54 Mbps