Two-stage method for setting up and updating a database for representing the network topology of an electrical distribution network on the basis of position information comprising details of the geographical position of devices (4.1-4.11) which are connected to the distribution network and emit radio signals which can be identified by a mobile terminal as a receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) and can be assigned to the respective device (4.1-4.11), having the steps to be carried out in the case of a fault-free distribution network: a) determining the position of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) by means of a position determination module of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) and determining the active devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) on the basis of the identifiable radio signals which are emitted by these devices (4.1-4.11) and can be assigned to the respective device (4.1-4.11); b) determining the position of the devices (4.1-4.11), the radio signals of which have been received; and c) storing the identification features and the position of the devices (4.1-4.11) in the database as a new data record or as an update of an existing data record; and having the following steps to be carried out in the event of a fault in the distribution network: d) determining the position of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) by means of a position determination module of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) and determining the active devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) on the basis of the identifiable radio signals which are emitted by these devices (4.1-4.11) and can be assigned to the respective device (4.1-4.11); e) determining the inactive devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) by comparing the active devices (4.1-4.11) determined in the event of a fault in the distribution network with the devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) which were previously determined in the case of a fault-free distribution network; and f) marking or updating an already existing marking of the inactive devices (4.1-4.11) in the database as belonging, with a high degree of probability, to a power section. a) determining the position of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) by means of a position determination module of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) and determining the active devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) on the basis of the identifiable radio signals which are emitted by these devices (4.1-4.11) and can be assigned to the respective device (4.1-4.11); b) determining the position of the devices (4.1-4.11), the radio signals of which have been received; and c) storing the identification features and the position of the devices (4.1-4.11) in the database as a new data record or as an update of an existing data record; d) determining the position of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) by means of a position determination module of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) and determining the active devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) on the basis of the identifiable radio signals which are emitted by these devices (4.1-4.11) and can be assigned to the respective device (4.1-4.11); e) determining the inactive devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) by comparing the active devices (4.1-4.11) determined in the event of a fault in the distribution network with the devices (4.1-4.11) in the vicinity of the receiving unit (9.1, 9.2) which were previously determined in the case of a fault-free distribution network; and f) marking or updating an already existing marking of the inactive devices (4.1-4.11) in the database as belonging, with a high degree of probability, to a power section.