bus topology

Definition:- 

• the topology of a network whose components are connected by a busbar
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• A bus network topology is a network architecture in which a set of clients are connected via a shared communications line, called a bus. There are several common instances of the bus architecture, including one in the motherboard of most computers, and those in some versions of Ethernet networks.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_topology
• A network in which all nodes share a common pathway called the bus.
  www.angelfire.com/tx/antagonizer/glossarya.html
• All devices are connected to a central cable, called the bus or backbone.
  myweb.wssu.edu/dalmadgec/3360/3360ppt/3360Chap03.PPT
• The original coaxial cable-based LAN topology in which the medium forms a single bus to which all stations are attached. The bus topology is rarely used in LAN installations today because it is relatively difficult to add new users or more existing users from one location to another. ...
  learn-networking.blogspot.com/2006/12/glossarybrief.html
• Bus topology networks require that all computers, or nodes, connect to the same cable.
  www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Network-topologies

 n bus topology all workstations are connected to a single communication line called bus. In this type of network topology there is no central node as in star topology. Transmission from any station travels the length of the bus in both directions and can be received by all workstations. The advantage of the bus topology is that

• It is quite easy to set up.
• If one station of the topology fails it does not affect the entire system.

The disadvantage of bus topology is that any break in the bus is difficult to identify.

Bus Topology

Advantages of Bus Topology
It is easy to handle and implement.
It is best suited for small networks.

Disadvantages of Bus Topology
The cable length is limited. This limits the number of stations that can be connected.
This network topology can perform well only for a limited number of nodes.