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Networking Fundamentals · Foundational

Bus Topology

A topology in which all devices share a single backbone cable terminated at both ends.

Definition

Bus networks, such as 10BASE2 coax Ethernet, are cheap but a single break or missing terminator brings down the whole segment, and all devices share one collision domain. Bus topologies are obsolete in LANs but appear in some industrial and vehicle networks such as CAN bus.

Example

Legacy 10BASE2 networks used coax with BNC T-connectors and 50-ohm terminators.

Exam tip

A break anywhere on a bus takes down the entire segment.

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