A bus network is a computer network where all devices share the same wired connection. Data travels to each computer on the network, but cable loss can occur. Only one computer can send data at a time, and a cable break affects the entire network. Bus networks are less expensive and useful for smaller networks, but star networks offer more expandability.
A bus network is a computer network architecture in which all devices on the network share the same wired connection, called a bus. A network bus uses a segment of cable that each computer is connected to, and the segment of cable used has a termination at each end. Bus networks commonly use 10Base2 and 10Base5 cabling. As data travels from a device, also called a node, to the cable segment, it travels to each computer on the network as it moves, testing whether each computer is the target device.
Unlike a ring network or a star network, a bus network has problems with cable loss. The farther the data on the bus network has to travel, the greater the amount of data loss that can occur, especially if the devices on the bus network are far apart. As a result, devices on a bus network should be located at a distance where data loss should not be a problem and not allow for workstations as scattered as what is possible on a star, ring or mesh network.
While other network architectures allow multiple devices to send data, bus networks are limited in that only one computer can send data at a time. If two devices try to send data at the same time, a data collision can occur. If this happens, both computers will wait a random amount of time and try to send the data again.
Bus networks also rely heavily on the single segment of cable to keep the network up and running. Any kind of cable break will affect all connected systems and bring down the entire network, as a single segment is used to connect all computers. If you need to add or remove a computer from the network, there will also be a network outage while adding or removing the computer. If a problem does occur, network technicians may have a hard time finding out exactly what went wrong.
Many businesses find bus networks appealing, however, and bus networks are an easy and less expensive way to implement a network. Bus networks require no special equipment, use fewer cables than other technologies, and are useful for smaller networks. On the other hand, companies planning to use multiple devices on a network may prefer the expandability offered by a star network, regardless of the additional cable and installation time required.
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