Which topology has one central node that all devices connect to, with data first going into the central node?

Which topology has one central node that all devices connect to, with data first going into the central node?

• A. Hybrid Topology
• B. Star Topology
• C. Mesh Topology
• D. Bus Topology

Answer: (B)

In this setup, every device connects to a single central node, and all data must pass through that central point first. That describes a star topology. Each device runs its own link to the central hub or switch, so when one device sends data, it goes to the central node, which then forwards it to the intended recipient. This central node acts as the traffic manager, making it easy to add new devices and isolate issues to individual links, but it also creates a single point of failure if the central device fails. The other topologies don’t fit because a mesh has multiple interconnections between devices, a bus uses a single shared communication medium along a backbone without a central switch to route traffic, and a hybrid combines elements of different layouts and doesn’t inherently require every device to connect to one central point.

In this setup, every device connects to a single central node, and all data must pass through that central point first. That describes a star topology. Each device runs its own link to the central hub or switch, so when one device sends data, it goes to the central node, which then forwards it to the intended recipient. This central node acts as the traffic manager, making it easy to add new devices and isolate issues to individual links, but it also creates a single point of failure if the central device fails. The other topologies don’t fit because a mesh has multiple interconnections between devices, a bus uses a single shared communication medium along a backbone without a central switch to route traffic, and a hybrid combines elements of different layouts and doesn’t inherently require every device to connect to one central point.