CONS:

• Difficult to locate the problem cable in a network segment and hardware is expensive.

Wireless

As the name implies, a wireless network topology is made up of nodes that communicate without physical data transmission media; in other words, no wires. Wireless LANs, or WLANs, can be used for both indoor peer-to-peer networks as well as in point-to-point and point-to-multipoint remote bridging applications.

PROS:

• With wireless connectivity, computers have freedom of mobility while remaining continuously connected to network.
• Can be implemented with a wide variety of applications.
• Reliable, performs well and can be used for large-scale and complex wireless networks.

CONS:

• Wireless does not integrate easily with pre-existing “wired” networks.
• Tends to be more expensive and it’s “newness” discourages many from trying it.
• Security is a big problem.

Here are a few other online resources on network topologies:

Webopedia’s take on Network Topologies (does not include Wireless)
Webopedia’s take on Wireless Network Computing
Home and Small Office Network Topologies, a’la Microsoft
Wireless Success Stories
Controlling Microwave Links in Wireless Networks
Dawn of a New Database
The Wireless LANs Page
Introduction to WLAN Topology
Otterbein Lecture on Network Topologies

1.2 Specify the main features of 802.2 (LLC), 802.3 (Ethernet), 802.5 (Token Ring), 802.11b (wireless) and FDDI networking technologies, including:

• Speed
• Access
• Method
• Topology
• Media

The term “802.*” refers to the set of network standards developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). CompTIA’s objectives (listed above) call only for you to know 802.3, 802.5 and 802.11b. However, you really need to know a wider set. Here is a good list. The standards CompTIA wants you to concentrate on are in pink: