Mesh Topology in Computer Networks: Pros and Cons

Introduction

In this blog, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of mesh topology. A topology signifies the arrangement of nodes or devices in a network. The mesh topology is a type of topology in which every device or computer is connected to every other device. Each device not only sends its signals but also receives signals from other devices. The nodes in a mesh topology are connected using a dedicated link and the information is passed from nodes to nodes.

This topology has N * (N - 1) / 2 links in total where N represents the total number of nodes. The connections within the mesh can be wired as well as wireless.

Types of Mesh Topologies

1. Fully connected mesh topology

2. Partially connected mesh topology

Let us discuss them one by one in detail:

Fully connected mesh topology

All the nodes in a mesh topology are connected with every other node. If there are N number of nodes during a network then each node will be connected with other N - 1 nodes.  The mesh topology can deal with redundancy with excellence. The only disadvantage of using a full connected mesh topology is that it is costly to implement.

Partial mesh topology

The partial mesh topology is more advanced as compared to full mesh. It is not mandatory for all the nodes to be connected with each other during a partial mesh topology. It is less expensive as compared to full mesh topology.

Advantages of mesh topology

• Faults can be identified easily.
• High privacy and security is provided.
• Advanced and robust features to tackle any situation.
• The data transmission is not affected by adding new devices.
• Failure in a single device doesn’t interrupt the network.
• The high amount of traffic can be maintained because multiple devices can transmit the data simultaneously.
• The mesh topology allows us to transmit the information directly and there no intervention is required from the central access point.

Disadvantages of mesh topology

• Installation is difficult in mesh topology.
• It is very costly to implement.
• Maintenance cost is very high.
• It requires a lot of power as all the nodes are required to be active all the time and distribute the load.
• Building a mesh topology requires a lot of time.
• Scaling the size of the network can be difficult.

Conclusion

In this blog, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the mesh topology. We also discussed different types in detail. We believe that you found this tutorial helpful for you.