In this guide, we will discuss the differences between Star and Mesh Topologies.
Star Topology:
In Star topology, each device in the network is connected to a central device called hub, thus forming a star like pattern. This is the reason it is called star topology. Devices communicate with each other through the hub. If device A wants to communicate with device B, it first sends the data to hub then hub forwards the data to the designated device.
Mesh Topology:
In Mesh topology, each device in the network has a direct one to one connection with the every other device in the network. The failure of one device doesn’t affect the communication of other devices in the network.
Read topologies in detail: Types of Topologies
Difference between Star and Mesh Topology
| Star Topology | Mesh Topology |
|---|---|
| 1. All devices are connected to a central device, responsible for smooth data transfer between two devices in the network. | Every Device is directly connected to every other device in the network. |
| 2. Star Topology is less expensive compared to Mesh Topology. | Mesh Topology is more expensive due to the extra wiring required for all the redundant connections. The nodes that are not frequently communicating are also connected in Full Mesh Topology. |
| 3. To connect n devices in the Star topology, we need to have n links from each device to the hub. | In Mesh topology, the number of links required are n(n-1)/2 to connect n devices. |
| 4. Star topology is easy to implement. | Mesh topology is complex. |
| 5. In star topology, hub is responsible for all the communication between devices. | In mesh topology, device communicate with other devices directly. |
| 6. Failure of central unit (hub) can bring the whole network down. | There is no central unit in Mesh topology. |
| 7. It is easy to add new devices to the networks that are based on star topology, because a new link from the new device to the hub is required. This makes star topology scalable. | Adding new device in mesh topology is not that easy as it requires connections with the already existing devices in the network. This makes mesh topology less scalable. |
| 8. Star topology is usually implemented using twisted pair cable. | Mesh topology is implemented using twisted pair cable, coaxial cable and optical fiber cable based on the network requirement. |
| 9. Lower power consumption compared to mesh topology. | Requires high power consumption. |