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Campus Area Network (CAN)
CAN is a network designed to connect multiple buildings or locations within a specific
geographic area, such as a university campus, a business campus, or a large enterprise
complex. A CAN is larger than a Local Area Network (LAN) but smaller than a Wide Area
Network (WAN), making it suitable for organisations with multiple buildings or facilities
nearby. Network
Campus
Area
TOPOLOGY
The layout or arrangement of computers or nodes in a network is referred to as topology. The
choice of topology depends on factors such as cost, flexibility, and reliability. There are five main
types of network topologies: star, bus, ring, mesh, and tree. Each type has its own advantages
and is suited to different networking needs. Let's explore these topologies in detail.
Bus Topology
Bus topology connects all nodes to a single central cable or path. It is simple and easy to manage,
and you can add more nodes anywhere along the cable. However, a major drawback is that
detecting faults can be very challenging.
Ring Topology
In this topology, all nodes are connected in a loop or circle.
Messages travel around the circle in either a clockwise or anti-
clockwise direction. If the cable or any node in the loop gets
damaged, it can cause the entire network to stop working.
Computer Networking 121

