Star network - wikipedia Star network This article is about the network topology. For the interbank network, see STAR ( interbank network ). For other uses, see Starnet. Star topology Star topology in use in a network A Star network is one of the most common computer network topologies. In its simplest form, a star network consists of one central hub which acts as a conduit to transmit messages. In star topology, every host is connected to a central hub. A star network is an implementation of a spoke -- hub distribution paradigm in computer networks. The hub and hosts, and the transmission lines between them, form a graph with the topology of a star. Data on a star network passes through the hub before continuing to its destination. The hub manages and controls all functions of the network. It also acts as a repeater for the data flow. The star topology reduces the impact of a transmission line failure by independently connecting each host to the hub. Each host may thus communicate with all others by transmitting to, and receiving from, the hub. The failure of a transmission line linking any host to the hub will result in the isolation of that host from all others, but the rest of the network will be unaffected. The star configuration is commonly used with twisted pair cable and optical fibre cable. However, it can also be used with coaxial cable. Advantages and disadvantages Advantages If one node or its connection breaks, it does n't affect the other computers nor their connections Devices can be added or removed without disturbing the network Disadvantages An expensive network layout to install because of the number and length of cables needed to wire each host to the central hub The central hub is a single point of failure for the network References Jump up ^ Roberts, Lawrence G. ; Wessler, Barry D. ( 1970 ), `` Computer network development to achieve resource sharing '', AFIPS ' 70 ( Spring ) : Proceedings of the May 5 -- 7, 1970, spring joint computer conference, New York, NY, USA : ACM, pp. 543 -- 549, doi : 10.1145 / 1476936.1477020 Jump up ^ `` Star Network ''. TechTarget. Retrieved 2014 - 06 - 24. ^ Jump up to : `` Teach - ICT OCR GCSE Computing - computer network topologies, bus network, ring network, star network ''. teach-ict.com. Retrieved 2015 - 10 - 15. Network topologies Arrangements of the data links and nodes of computer networks Bus network Grid network Mesh network Ring network Star network Tree network Fat tree Hypertree Internet topology Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Star_network&oldid=848944891 '' Categories : Network topology Talk About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Català Čeština Dansk Eesti Español Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Қазақша Latviešu Македонски Bahasa Melayu Nederlands Norsk ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Polski Português Русский Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Svenska தமிழ் Türkçe Українська 中文 24 more Edit links This page was last edited on 5 July 2018, at 12 : 02 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what piece of hardware is usually at the center of a star network
Answer: central hub