• Bus
• Ring
• Star
• Tree
• Mesh

Usually connected by Ethernet cables or Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the star is configured around a central wiring device or switching element, usually an intelligent hub, as shown in the diagram below. The hub or collapsed backbone is a high-speed, efficient device that extends the capabilities of a simple cable. The hub interprets and routes electrical signals using a high-speed backplane or bus. Each device (workstation, server, etc.) is connected singly to a port on the hub.

When it is important that your network have increased stability and speed, the star topology should be considered. When you use a hub, you get centralized administration and security control, low configuration costs and easy troubleshooting. When one node or workstation goes down, the rest of your network will still be functional.

Limitations include possible network failures due to a hub cable breaking or the hub itself failing. The number of ports on the hub limits the number of users you may connect. To expand a star topology network, you'll need to add another hub and go to a "star of stars" topology.