← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10

Star network topology

A network layout where each device has its own cable to a central switch or router, so one broken cable cuts off only that device. If the central device fails, the whole network goes down.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Networked Systems and Access Control — Module 12, WA Computer Science ATAR Year 11 — Network Communications — Module 82

Understanding Star network topology in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10

What it does: Each device has its own link to the switch, so the broken Laptop cable cuts off only the laptop. The phone and printer stay connected. All the links in a star network meet at the central switch. If the switch fails, no device can reach any other, so the whole network goes down. The switch is the single point of failure. All the devices rely on it to talk to each other. A shared main cable that every computer taps into is a bus layout, not a star.

Common mistakes: A star network has a central switch (or router), not a shared bus cable. The line should be centre = "switch". In a star network each device has exactly one link of its own to the centre. It should be links_per_device = 1.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 12–34) and word search (Modules 12–55).

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Learning
Duo
In a star network, what does each device connect to?
A central switch or routerOne long shared cable
Matches
A star network: all devices share one long cable, and a break stops them all.
↓
This describes a bus layout, not a star. In a star, each device has its own cable to the central switch, so one break only affects one device.
Applying
Meanings
Term
star topology
Meaning
A network layout where each device has its own cable to a central switch or router, so one broken cable cuts off only that device. If the central device fails, the whole network goes down.
Practice
centre ← "switch"
Testing
Gaps
connect(laptop, )
Check Answer
Spots
1topology = "star"
2centre = "bus cable"

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Quick Questions

1. In a star network, what does each device connect to?
A. One long shared cable
B. A central switch or router ✓
In a star topology every device has its own link to the central switch or router. A single shared cable is a bus layout.
2. One device's cable is cut in a star network. What happens?
A. Only that device loses its connection ✓
B. Every device loses its connection
Each device has its own cable, so a break only cuts off the one device using that cable.
3. The central switch in a star network stops working. What happens?
A. The whole network goes down ✓
B. Only one device is affected
The switch is the single point of failure. All the devices rely on it to talk to each other.
4. Which layout is a star network?
A. All computers plug into one main cable
B. Each computer has its own cable to one switch ✓
A shared main cable that every computer taps into is a bus layout, not a star.
5. In a bus layout the main shared cable breaks. How does this compare with a star network?
A. It can cut off many devices at once, unlike a broken star cable ✓
B. It only ever cuts off one device, just like a star cable
A bus has one shared cable, so a break in it can split the network. In a star, a broken cable affects just one device.

Match the Pairs

star topology → A layout where every device has its own cable to a central switch or router
bus topology → A layout where all devices share one single backbone cable
If one cable in a star network breaks, only the device on that cable loses its connection → Laptop--X--Switch (Phone--Switch, Printer--Switch still work)
The central switch is a single point of failure: if it stops working, every device is cut off → Switch (OFF) -- Laptop, Phone, Printer all disconnected
A star network: all devices share one long cable, and a break stops them all. → This describes a bus layout, not a star. In a star, each device has its own cable to the central switch, so one break only affects one device.
In a star network, if the central switch fails, only one device loses its connection. → A failed central switch cuts off every device, not just one. Only a broken cable to a single device affects just that device.

Key Term

star topology
A network layout where each device has its own cable to a central switch or router, so one broken cable cuts off only that device. If the central device fails, the whole network goes down.

Fill in the Blanks

1. connect(laptop, switch) connect(printer, switch) connect(phone, switch)
Hint: Type the central device that every cable in a star network connects to.
2. IF cable(laptop) = "broken" THEN offline(laptop) ENDIF
Hint: Type the only device that loses its connection when its own cable breaks.
3. IF switch = "failed" THEN offline(all) ENDIF
Hint: Type the word for how many devices lose connection when the central switch fails (single point of failure).
4. // one shared cable runs past every device layout ← "bus"
Hint: Type the name of the layout that uses one shared cable instead of a central switch.
5. // every device has its own cable layout ← "star"
Hint: Type the name of the layout where each device has its own link to a central switch.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A topology = "star"
B centre = "bus cable"
C cable_cut = "PC2"
D offline = ["PC2"]
Line B — A star network has a central switch (or router), not a shared bus cable. The line should be centre = "switch".
Question 2
A topology = "star"
B links_per_device = 2
C devices = 4
D cables = devices * links_per_device
Line B — In a star network each device has exactly one link of its own to the centre. It should be links_per_device = 1.
Question 3
A devices = ["PC1","PC2","PC3"]
B cable_broken = "PC2"
C offline = devices
D online = ["PC1","PC3"]
Line C — One broken cable in a star network only cuts off the device on that cable. It should be offline = [cable_broken], not every device.
Question 4
A topology = "star"
B switch_fails = True
C network_down = not switch_fails
D print(network_down)
Line C — The central switch is the single point of failure. If it fails the whole network goes down, so network_down should equal switch_fails, not its opposite.
Question 5
A topology = "ring"
B centre = "switch"
C weak_point = centre
Line A — A layout with every device linked to a central switch is a star topology. The first line should be topology = "star".

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