A star network is an implementation of a

spoke–hub distribution paradigm The spoke–hub distribution paradigm is a form of transport topology optimization in which traffic planners organize routes as a series of " spokes" that connect outlying points to a central "hub". Simple forms of this distribution/connect ...

in computer networks. In a star network, every

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People * Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Hos ...

is connected to a central hub. In its simplest form, one central hub acts as a conduit to transmit messages. The star network is one of the most common computer network topologies. The hub and hosts, and the transmission lines between them, form a

graph Graph may refer to: Mathematics *Graph (discrete mathematics), a structure made of vertices and edges **Graph theory, the study of such graphs and their properties * Graph (topology), a topological space resembling a graph in the sense of discr ...

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 In telecommunications, a repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it. Repeaters are used to extend transmissions so that the signal can cover longer distances or be received on the other side of an obstruction. Some ...

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 Twisted pair cabling is a type of wiring used for communications in which two conductors of a single circuit are twisted together for the purposes of improving electromagnetic compatibility. Compared to a single conductor or an untwisted ba ...

and

optical fiber An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means t ...

cable. However, it can also be used with

coaxial cable Coaxial cable, or coax (pronounced ) is a type of electrical cable consisting of an inner Electrical conductor, conductor surrounded by a concentric conducting Electromagnetic shielding, shield, with the two separated by a dielectric (Insulato ...

as in, for example, a

video router A video router, also known as a video matrix switch or SDI router, is an electronic switch designed to route video signals from multiple input sources such as cameras, VT/DDR, computers and DVD players, to one or more display devices, such as ...

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

* If one node or its connection breaks, it does not affect the other computers nor their connections * Devices can be added or removed without disturbing the network *Works well under heavy load *Appropriate for a large network

Disadvantages

* Expensive due to the number and length of cables needed to wire each host to the central hub * The central hub is a

single point of failure A single point of failure (SPOF) is a part of a system that, if it fails, will stop the entire system from working. SPOFs are undesirable in any system with a goal of high availability or reliability, be it a business practice, software appl ...

for the network

References

{{Network topologies Network topology