Drawing Topology Diagrams

A topology diagram shows the physical layout of a network: which devices are present and how each one is linked to the others.

Drawing a star

In a star topology diagram, draw the switch in the centre. Add a solid line from the switch to every wired device, including each server and printer, so that every device has its own cable back to the switch and none is daisy-chained through another. Do not join devices directly to each other.

For wireless devices, draw a wireless access point (WAP) and join it to the switch with a solid line, because the WAP itself is wired. Then draw a dashed line from the WAP to each wireless device; those devices do not connect straight to the switch.

If the network needs the internet, add a router, join it to the switch with a solid line, then draw a solid line out to a cloud labelled Internet.

For example, a small climbing centre might have a central switch with solid lines to two tills and a card printer, a WAP with dashed lines to the two tablets the instructors carry, and a router linked to the Internet cloud. Label every box: Switch, Till, Card printer, WAP, Tablet, Router, Internet.

Drawing a mesh

Start with no central switch and draw a direct line between each device and at least one other device. A mesh topology does not have to link every device to every other, because data can pass through a device in between. If the design does need every device to reach every other directly, draw a line between every pair; three devices need three links. Use solid lines for cabled links and dashed lines for wireless links.

Lines and labels

Use the line style to show the type of connection, and label every device so the reader knows what each box represents.

Labels name the device or its type, such as Switch, WAP, Router, Internet, File server or Tablet.