Mesh topology is a network topology where all the individual workstations are connected to the workstations that can route to all others. This topology aims to create a redundant network where one broken cable will not break the entire system.
There are many advantages of mesh topology. A mesh topology is excellent for networks with several widely dispersed branches or intermittently connected devices (e.g., mobile workers).
Mesh topologies are also sometimes used in ad hoc wireless networks, where there may not be an existing fixed infrastructure from which it can deploy access points. A mesh topology is also well-suited for future expansion.
best 10 Advantages of mesh topology
The mesh topology affects the more effectively to network management more. The cost of hardware is more economical than using star and bus topology. The network redundancy provided by mesh topology is much better than its counterparts.
Excellent security options are also present in mesh topology networks. Devices are easily accessible from all the other devices within the network. There are many characteristics of mesh topology that are listed below:
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1. Network Convergence
Mesh topologies provide greater network convergence than star and bus topologies. It also helps in increasing network speed.
The mesh topology provides a more efficient network using less wiring than star and bus topologies. It reduces the cost of wires and power consumption. The mesh topology provides more network redundancy than star and bus topologies.
2. Network Security
Mesh topology provides maximum network security as it encourages all devices to have full knowledge of the network.
Mesh topologies are highly private and can be operated differently depending on the client access requirements and organizational policies. It is also very easy to implement security because all entry points are known within the network.
The high redundancy provided by mesh topology networks can provide excellent security and reliability against most forms of attack.
3. Device Connection
Mesh topology provides a better device connection with optimum bandwidth usage. This is because its nodes are fully meshed and have only one nearest access point to the next node.
In star and bus topologies, the distance between devices and the central hub from where the network signals are received is important. This can cause a bottleneck, especially on busy networks.
4. Load Balancing
The mesh topology provides more efficient load balancing than star and bus topologies. This is because, in a star topology, the central hub or switch handles all the traffic load of the entire network.
This causes congestion because when all the nodes transmit and receive data at increased rates through a single point, it will cause overload and heavy traffic. Each node can share the traffic load with other nodes in a mesh topology.
Also, there is more flexibility in device placement in a mesh topology than in a bus and star topology.
5. Bandwidth Utilization
It is also an efficient topology for bandwidth utilization because it has no central path, which restricts the transmission of data.
In star and bus topologies, the traffic between one node and all the other nodes takes a single path through the central hub or switch, so there is a restriction on bandwidth allocation.
6. Scalability
Mesh topology is highly scalable as nodes are attached. This allows adding and deactivating devices at any time in the network. As new nodes are added, the traffic on that particular part of the network is more evenly distributed.
Also, it is easy to trace and fix the problem by finding out the source of failure in case of failure.
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7. Performance
A mesh topology has a more efficient performance than star and bus topologies because it has no central switching point that slows down data transmission.
In a star topology, when all the data from all the workstations are transmitted and received through a single point, it limits bandwidth. In a mesh topology, every node can equally share the traffic load with other nodes, which speeds up data transfer.
8. Robustness
Mesh topology is the most robust of all the network topologies. Mesh networks are more resilient to single-point failures because data can flow through various paths to reach its destination.
The dependence on a single central hub or switch reduces with mesh topology, so if a device goes down or there is an interruption in that part of the network, it does not affect other parts of the mesh.
9. Network Expansion
Mesh topology provides easy network expansion as there are no limitations on the number of nodes connecting to the network.
In a star or bus topology, when the devices are connected through a central hub or switch, it creates limitations on the number of devices that can be connected.
10. Consistency
Mesh topology is more consistent as compared to bus and star topologies. Its nodes are fully meshed and have only one nearest access point to the next node.
In a star or bus topology, the distance between devices and the central hub from where the network signals are received is significant. There is no single point of failure in a mesh topology during communication.
Conclusion
We hope that the above article on network topology has given you a good understanding of the topic. Mesh topology is a well-established hierarchy of paths that enables the communication between multiple devices in a network.
Mesh networks should be used in areas where the number of users is high, and the bandwidth is limited. It can be used with wireless LANs and wired Ethernet. If you have any queries regarding the Advantages of mesh topology, ask us.
