The basic concepts in use on a bus topology call for communications to flow in the following manner:
- When a computer or network device wants to send data, it first listens to make sure no other information is “on the wire.”
- Once the computer or network device determines information can be sent, it sends the data or places the data “on the wire.”
- All computers and network devices on the bus segment will see the data at the lowest level, but only the intended recipient will accept the data. The exception to this rule is when a network device such as a computer is configured to accept all traffic as a maintenance station for network traffic analysis. This type of configuration uses specialized software and places the network adapter in what is referred to as “promiscuous mode.”
- To prevent the signal “on the wire” from bouncing and thus preventing other computers or network devices from sending their data, terminators are placed at each end of the bus to absorb the signal.
All bus topologies share the feature of simultaneous broadcast, that is, one station transmits and all hear at about the same time. The underlying Ethernet access method uses a logical bus topology regardless of whether it is built physically as a bus (coaxial cable) or a star (UTP).
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