Typically, networks maximize value for money by creating common links that channel data to and from several endpoints or connecting links through switches and routers. The further a signal has to travel, the more network devices it has to pass through, each device introduces a slight delay because it has to copy data arriving in on one port over to an outgoing port. So, the more links that need to be crossed, the longer it will take the transmission.
Long-distance wires that don’t have to serve branch connections also face speed problems. Data travels over a wire as an electronic pulse. Although an electric charge possesses all of the wire instantaneously, a longer wire is more susceptible to environmental interference because it has a larger surface area and there is more surrounding space filled with conflicting noise. As a result, there is a limit to the distance that a transmission medium can usefully carry a signal. The distance is longer depending on the quality of the medium. Long stretches require repeaters, which remove noise and boost the signal. A repeater introduces delay, so a long distance transmission passes through more repeaters, reducing throughput.