Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.30
What are the common LAN topologies and their characteristics?
Modern LANs use star and extended star; legacy LANs used bus and ring.
* Modern LANs centre on a switch (star); the bus and ring are legacy layouts. *
Modern LAN topologies:
| Topology | Description |
|---|---|
| Star | End devices connected to a central intermediate device |
| Extended Star | Multiple stars interconnected; very scalable |
Legacy LAN topologies:
| Topology | Description |
|---|---|
| Bus | All end systems chained together and terminated on each end |
| Ring | Each end system connected to its respective neighbors to form a ring |
Key point: Star and extended star topologies are easy to install, very scalable, and easy to troubleshoot.
Go deeper:
Generic topologies — Ring, Star, Bus (NetworkAcademy.IO CCNA) — CCNA-aligned page covering star (the modern default), bus, and ring, with extended-star context.- Network topology (Wikipedia) — diagrammed coverage of star, bus, and ring.