Wireless Topology/Communication

Wireless topology or communication refers to the form of data that is transferred or conveyed wirelessly. This involves the arrangement as well as mapping of the communication elements such as links and nodes of network, especially the real and virtual interlinks between different nodes (Li & Vasilakos, 2013). Wireless communication/topology integrates broad procedures and forms that connects and communicate the information between two points through the application of technological gadgets. In most cases, this communicational data is transferred via a signal. The three major configuration topologies include 1) point-to-point topology; 2) point-to-multipoint topology; and 3) multipoint-to-point topology. For this assignment, the paper shall define each topology, provide its scenario and its application and finally give the disadvantages of applying the above mentioned topologies.

Point-to-Point Topology

In computer clouding, point-to-point topology (P2P) is an information interconnection (layer two) communications protocol which is applied in the establishment of a direct linkage between two communication nodes (Ware et al., 2010). Point to point topology directly links two routers with no networking gadget between them. Advantageously, point to point communication topology provides linkage authentication, compression as well as encryption.

Point to point wireless topology scenario and application can be demonstrated when people from different points communicate via the phone.  Point-to-point topology is basically applied during a phone call. The two people from different points communicate wirelessly either through a phone call or text messages. Therefore, this type of topology is applied in the telephone frameworks (Ware et al., 2010).

Some of the disadvantages of point-to-point wireless topology include the deployment of the network is expensive. In instances of bad weather, the signal might be lost, thus, the communication or transmission of data might fail. In instances of noise interruption, the wireless frequencies disturbs the network (Knapp, 2012).

Point-to-Multipoint Topology

Point-to-multipoint topology is also referred to as star topology. In simple terms, it can be abbreviated as P2MP (Perry et al., 2011). This form of topology is a general network structure for outdoor wireless connections that enable network connections from a single location (point) to several locations (multipoint). In this topology, all the connected locations have no opportunity to communicate directly with one another. The remote locations found the end of the network is known as “client” location while the central location is referred to as the “access point or base station.” Point-to-multipoint operates under the concept of one-to-many connections, offering various pathways of communication from one specific location.

The scenario for the point-to-multipoint wireless connection include and outdoor video-surveillance program that is wirelessly connected. Every camera within the area is linked to a wireless customer gadget and then a base station or access point is erected strategically on the rooftop, acting as the central control device where it coordinates the multipoint locations connected to it (Perry et al., 2011). This type of topology can be applied in the token ring, ATM, Ethernet and Frame relay.

According to Taori & Sridharan (2015), some of the disadvantages of point-to-multipoint wireless network topology include failure or no network connection to every device attached to the central point in case of the hub fails. Also, in the installation of the point-to-multipoint wireless connection, some extra devices such as hardware (hubs and switches) are demanded thus increasing the cost of networking.

Multipoint-to-Point Topology

Geile (2010) suggests that multipoint-to-point topology is a network connection that offers twofold interactive communication that is conducted between a multiple remote machinist workstations and central hub earth terminal. This form of communication is applied since it reduces the remote terminals technical demands. Remote VSAT ought to possess the capability of transmitting information back to single satellite as the hub applies to broadcast out. In the Multipoint-to-point communication network, the rate of the data transmission is asymmetrical. This means that the control hub is transmitting the information at relatively higher rate compared to any other remote VSAT.

From the above diagram of multipoint-to-to point networking, the network hub on the earth station has combined the outland broadcast with various inbound broadcasts from the isolated stations (Geile, 2010). The concrete and complete lines shows the broadcast from the earth hub while the dotted line depicts multiple access of the transmissions from the VSATs.

The case scenario for the application of the multipoint-point networking where all the computers are connected to a single link either directly through handset or through short drop connection. An example of the multipoint to point communication networks is bus topologies. All the devices are interconnected to a solitary medium of transmission that operates as the fundamental of the entire connection (Clausen & Herberg, 2010).

One of the critical disadvantage of the multipoint to point wireless network is complications resulting from the many multifaceted devices. In most cases, this network experience challenges in the reconnection as well as fault isolation. Signal reflection in most cases fades away because of the congestion and as a result, the quality of the communication or date is degraded (Clausen & Herberg, 2010).

Conclusion

Wireless topology or communication refers to the form of data that is transferred or conveyed wirelessly. The three major configuration topologies include 1) point-to-point topology; 2) point-to-multipoint topology; and 3) multipoint-to-point topology. In computer clouding, point-to-point topology (P2P) is an information interconnection (layer two) communications protocol which is applied in the establishment of a direct linkage between two communication nodes. Point-to-multipoint topology is a general network structure for outdoor wireless connections that enable network connections from a single location (point) to several locations (multipoint). Multipoint-to-point topology is a network connection that offers twofold interactive communication that is conducted between a multiple remote machinist workstations and central hub earth terminal.

References

Clausen, T., & Herberg, U. (2010, September). Multipoint-to-Point and Broadcast in RPL. In Network-Based Information Systems (NBiS), 2010 13th International Conference on (pp. 493-498). IEEE.

Geile, M.J., (2010). Multipoint-to-point communication using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. ADC Telecommunications Inc: U.S. Patent 7,672,219.

Knapp, D.J., SMSC Holdings SARL, (2012). Fault tolerant network utilizing bi-directional point-to-point communications links between nodes. U.S. Patent 8,179,787.

Li, M., Li, Z., & Vasilakos, A. V. (2013). A survey on topology control in wireless sensor networks: Taxonomy, comparative study, and open issues. Proceedings of the IEEE, 101(12), 2538-2557.

Perry, J., Pursel, J., Lo, L., Kent, P., Seifert, B., Reyes, L., Fore, J., Wirth, W., Collins, D., Hoskyn, J. and Wong, E., (2011). Point-to-multipoint high definition multimedia transmitter and receiver. U.S. Patent 7,992,177.

Taori, R., & Sridharan, A. (2015). Point-to-multipoint in-band mmwave backhaul for 5G networks. IEEE Communications Magazine, 53(1), 195-201.

Ware, F.A., Tsern, E.K. and Shaeffer, I.P., Rambus Inc, (2010). Point-to-point connection topology for stacked devices. U.S. Patent 7,701,045.