In this chapter we learned the differences between ring, star, and LAN topologies. You should know how each is used in the network, and that Token Ring uses a ring topology, while Ethernet uses a star topology when using CAT 5 cabling. Remember that some of the advantages of LAN segmentation are achieved by separating the network using various devices. You can create smaller broadcast domains by using routers throughout the network. Also, using switching in the network can drastically reduce the number of collisions and create smaller collision and broadcast domains. Switching allows for high-end devices or demanding applications to be placed on the network with dedicated circuits and less congestion. You can see that it's important to know which devices help you best utilize a network's bandwidth. A variety of LAN topologies are available to fit any network:
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