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Network Topologies

Network topology is a topological structure of computer network, which can be physical or logical. The physical topology depicts location of different computer network elements such as computers, cables and other devices. The logical topology visually displays network dataflows from one device to another. Sometimes network logical and physical topologies can be the same. ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software is powerful for drawing network maps and network topologies diagrams of any kinds and complexity thanks to the Computer Network Diagrams solution from the Computer and Networks area. ConceptDraw STORE proposes collection of network icons libraries and a lot of Network Topology Diagram examples, samples and templates which were created at ConceptDraw PRO software specially for Computer Network Diagrams solution. There are six basic types of the network topologies: Bus, Star, Ring, Mesh, Tree, Fully Connected. You can fast and easy design professional-looking diagram for each of them using the ConceptDraw PRO tools. There are plenty of web Visio-like diagramming software available. Web based diagrams software can be powerful, but sometimes it is essential to have desktop software. One of the most advanced diagrams tools like Visio for Mac OS is ConceptDraw PRO app.
Create Network Topology Diagram
Create Network Topology Diagram

Wireless Network Topology

This sample was created in ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software using the Computer and Networks solution from Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park. This sample shows the Wireless network topology. Wireless network topology is a logical topology. It shows how the computers connect and interact each other when there is no physical connection, no cables connecting the computers. The computers communicate each other directly, using the wireless devices. Wireless networks can have infrastructure or ad hoc topology.

Local area network (LAN). Computer and Network Examples

Local Area Network (LAN) is a network which consists of computers and peripheral devices connected each other and to the local domain server, and covers a little territory or small number of buildings, such as home, school, laboratory, office, etc. LAN serves for few hundreds of users. It includes many cables and wires, and demands to design previously a Network diagram. All local area network devices can use the shared printers and disk storage. ConceptDraw PRO is a perfect network diagramming software with examples of LAN Diagrams, templates and predesigned vector objects. ConceptDraw PRO is the ideal choice for network engineers and network designers who need to draw fast and easy Local Area Network Diagrams, for IT specialists, developers and other IT professionals which need to visualize the communication schemes of LAN and visually document the LAN's physical structure and arrangement in houses, offices and other buildings. Ready-to-use vector objects from Computer Network Diagrams solution will help you design LAN diagrams in minutes.
How to Draw a Computer Network
How to Draw a Computer Network

Star Network Topology

Star is a basic computer network topology in which all nodes (computers and peripheral devices) of the network are connected to the central hub or switch with a point-to-point connection, forming a physical network segment. Such network segment can function separately or as a part of complex network topology. The switch is a server, the peripherals are the clients. The large workload and functions of network management are entrusted on the central computer, all information exchange goes through it, so it must to be obligatory the most powerful. The star network topology is a simple topology for design and implementation. Its advantages are high performance, flexible administration capabilities, simplicity of adding additional nodes and search of faults, the fact that a failure of one workstation doesn't affect the work of entire network. But the failure of central hub will result the failure of whole network or network segment - it's the main disadvantage. Use the ConceptDraw PRO with Computer and Networks solution to designing Star Network Topology Diagrams fast and easy.
Create Network Topology Diagram
Create Network Topology Diagram

Network Topology Illustration

ConceptDraw PRO is the best software for illustration the network topologies. It's very easy and quickly to design the network topology diagrams of any kinds and complexity in ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software using the Computer and Networks solution from Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

Network Topology

Network topology describes a way of organizing the physical connectivity of computers and other network components. All networks are built based on basic topologies: bus, star, ring, mesh. The basic topologies themselves are not complicated, but in practice we often face with their complex combinations. A particular choice of one or another topology affects the composition of necessary network equipment, opportunity of network expansion and method of network management. Bus topology is widespread and the most simple, it uses a single cable along which are connected all computers. In Star topology each computer is connected by a separate cable to common hub device located in a center of network. In networks with Ring topology, the data are transmitted around the ring from one computer to another, usually in one direction. In Mesh networks, only the computers with intensive data exchange are connected. ConceptDraw PRO software extended with powerful tools of solutions included to Computer and Networks area, contributes to high-quality design Network Topology Diagrams of different types.

Fully Connected Network Topology Diagram

Fully Connected Network Topology (Complete topology, Full mesh topology) is a network topology characterized by existence of direct links between all pairs of nodes. The Fully connected network including n nodes, contains n(n-1)/2 direct links. This topology is mostly used in military applications. It is a quite expensive network technology and is extremely impractical for the large networks. But when it is set, it provides a high degree of reliability thanks to the large quantity of redundant links between nodes and so multiplicity of paths for the data. The two-node network is also considered as a Fully connected network. Computer Network Diagrams solution from Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park offers the predesigned vector stencils libraries, examples and templates for easy designing various Computer network topology diagrams for wired and wireless networks, including the Fully connected topology. This solution is intended to help computer network designers and engineers perfectly illustrate network documentation, reports, presentations, etc.

Bus Network Topology

Bus Network Topology is a network topology that represents one shared cable (called a bus or backbone) to which are directly connected all workstations or computers of the network. At the ends of the cable are situated the terminators for prevention the signal reflection. All workstations at Bus Network Topology have equal rights and transfer the information sequentially, one after another. The message sent by one of workstations is extended on all computers of the network and each computer checks to whom it is addressed, if for him, then processes it. Addition of new subscribers to the "bus" is quite simple, the failures of individual computers are not dangerous, and the lack of a central subscriber even more increases its reliability. Computer and Networks solution included to Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park offers templates, samples and numerous vector stencils libraries that can be used to effectively design different physical and logical network topologies diagrams for wireless and wired computer networks, including Bus Network Topology.

Tree Network Topology Diagram

A Tree network topology (Hierarchical topology) is a hybrid network topology that contains the combination of two or more star networks connected via bus networks. Each star network is a LAN (local area network) with central computer or server and workstation nodes connected to it. The central computers of star networks are connected to a main cable that is called a bus. Each node of the Tree network can have an arbitrary number of child nodes, you can easy add/remove the separate workstations and even the whole star networks, the failure of one workstation will not affect the work of others. This topology is ideal solution when workstations are located in groups within a small physical region, rarely is used in WAN configurations. Computer and Networks solution from Computer and Networks area of ConceptDraw Solution Park contains templates, samples and numerous libraries of predesigned vector stencils of computer network devices and equipment, which can be effectively used for designing various network topologies diagrams, including Tree Network Topology.

Network diagrams with ConceptDraw PRO

Network diagram is effective tool for representing and description the network knots and connections between them in comprehensible graphic view, for studying and analysis them. The network administrators and engineers actively use Physical Network Diagrams and Logical Network Diagrams, which are both indispensable when developing and documenting new networks, and managing existing ones. Network diagrams let clearly represent the network configuration and structure, used protocols, addresses, and also names of network objects. Physical Network Diagrams depict the information about telecommunications data, servers, location of network equipment and number of network users. Logical Network Diagrams describe about logical network structure. It is useful to use the ready sets of network clipart, pictures and symbols for indication the network knots on a diagram, such as developed by professionals and offered in large quantity by Computer Network Diagrams solution from ConceptDraw Solution Park.