If the distance from the switch to the last workstation exceeds the transmission limit, which topology should be considered?

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Multiple Choice

If the distance from the switch to the last workstation exceeds the transmission limit, which topology should be considered?

When the distance from a switch to the farthest workstation would exceed what the transmission medium can reliably carry, the solution is to segment the network into shorter, within-limit links and connect those segments in a hierarchical star arrangement. In this setup each workstation plugs into a nearby access switch. Those access switches then uplink to higher-level distribution switches, and possibly to a core switch. Keeping every link within the allowed transmission distance preserves signal integrity, reduces the need for repeaters, and makes the network more scalable and easier to manage. This approach is favored because it directly addresses the distance constraint by dividing the network into manageable chunks. Other topologies don’t align as well with this goal: a tree and branch can complicate fault isolation as the network grows; ring is not commonly used for modern switched Ethernet and can introduce performance or maintenance concerns; mesh is robust but costly and unnecessary for typical office LANs where the primary issue is maintaining per-segment distance.

When the distance from a switch to the farthest workstation would exceed what the transmission medium can reliably carry, the solution is to segment the network into shorter, within-limit links and connect those segments in a hierarchical star arrangement. In this setup each workstation plugs into a nearby access switch. Those access switches then uplink to higher-level distribution switches, and possibly to a core switch. Keeping every link within the allowed transmission distance preserves signal integrity, reduces the need for repeaters, and makes the network more scalable and easier to manage.

This approach is favored because it directly addresses the distance constraint by dividing the network into manageable chunks. Other topologies don’t align as well with this goal: a tree and branch can complicate fault isolation as the network grows; ring is not commonly used for modern switched Ethernet and can introduce performance or maintenance concerns; mesh is robust but costly and unnecessary for typical office LANs where the primary issue is maintaining per-segment distance.

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