I'm taking what is supposed to be an "Introductory" networking course online as a prerequisite for other IT courses that have very little networking in them. I was excited to take this course because networking and anything having to do with it and TCP/IP etc always blew my mind and is my weak point. Unfortunately the way the course is run is terrible. Only been a week and we've been bombarded with assignments, quizzes, discussions etc. and literally NO instruction/lecture videos from the professor. Blows my mind I'm paying for a course where the actual professor doesn't teach or do their own lectures. We are just given URL's to youtube videos that OTHER PEOPLE MADE (that aren't very good anyways), and told to rely on the textbook. I usually learn well independently but this is blowing my mind.

Anyways we are just now working with topologies and doing really basic stuff. The assignment is that I have to create some LANs on packet tracer according to the assignment. However the instructions don't seem to make sense. They're as follows:

In the Packet tracer simulator, select two PCs, three routers and two switches of your choice.
1. Set up four different Ethernet LAN connection with network topology BUS, MESH, STAR, and RING using these network devices by:
a. Placing one PCs at each end of the network.
b. Placing the routers and switches between these two PCS and connect the routers and switches using 1) BUS, 2) STAR and 3) RING 4) MESH topology connection.
c. Configuring your own working IP address and subnet mask for the interfaces of the devices.
d. Name the devices as: For the PCs, use PC1, PC2, Routers (R1, R2 and R3), Switches (S1 and S2).

2. Using the ping command to test end-to-end connectivity between all the devices.

3. Now, disable one interface on R1.
a. For each topology implemented, test for end-to-end connectivity between PC1 and PC2.

Maybe I'm just stupid, but what is the point of connecting two computer with THREE ROUTERS AND two switches? Especially in a bus topology. My understanding is Bus topology does not use a router, as all devices are connected through a single "backbone" cable. Switches can be implemented in this kind of topology, however I cannot see how a router can be used in a Bus topology, let alone three. Furthermore, my understanding is that routers are used to connect separate networks to each other by acting as a default gateway. If we are making 4 separate topologies with 2 PC's in them, without connecting those subnetworks to other subnetworks, how can three routers be used in that scenario?

My mind is literally blown on how to do this chit. Any advice please? Reps till Im out.

Edit: Holy phuk

Here's is the response from the professor. Can any misc linguists decrypt? It's going to be a long semester

Your understanding is right?

The idea behind the activity is to explore and understand the concepts and basics about each topology and why they are used in situations in which they are applicable. This activity piggybacks on the Discussion 1 question. The activity is meant for you to simulate an experiment, which is intended to make you see and visualize the discussion question in some way.

Some other information for you is below:

For activity 2 Question b as below:
b. Placing the routers and switches between these two PCS and connect the routers and switches using 1) BUS, 2) STAR and 3) RING 4) MESH topology connection.

Note the LAB Question: 1. Explain what you observed for each topology as per task 6 and 7.................

Here is a hint, link the two statements above and note the statements below:
1. Explain what you were able to achieve for each configuration.
2. Were you able PING (test end to end connectivity) the devices? Why was it possible and why was it not possible? (You may not have been able to even connect the devices with that configuration, so why was it not possible)?
3. You are to use 2PCs, 3 Routers and 2 Switches and want to achieve these configurations, what issues did you encounter?

Further hint from the objective of the activity:
The objective of the activity is to understand the concepts behind each of these topologies, where they are applicable, how they are created and the devices that are used in such topology configurations.

You will encounter possibilities and impossibilities. These issues are part of the observations. State these issues and probably propose solutions if you can. These will make you understand where certain topologies fit and why some topologies fit best in certain situations. In some situations, you may have device constraints, so, which topology will enable you create an optimal network with good connectivity between devices?
In some situations, you have more than enough devices, so, which topology will enable you create and achieve an optimal network.

Explore in your creation and configuration.

I just need to know if I am obligated to use the three ****ing routers on the bus topology or not. Is that so hard to answer?

Sounds like this is a weed out course. My advice is to not think logically and instead think theoretically because I can think of very few real world applications where this would apply.

They are testing your knowledge of can this be done versus should this be done.

Makes sense. I mean I could literally just put three routers connected to each other on the bus but it just seems retarded.

It's retarded. Turn off your logical brain and answer academically. For lack of a better analogy, it is sort of a trick question.

It sounds like a professor is trying to sound smarter than what is really needed. Go back to the fundamentals.

mentioned this in
a whole chapter in my book
the "rough anal sex analogy"

I would neg you IRL

they still teaching you about STAR, and RING network topology. That chit was in computer books i looked at in the 90s and getting obsolete back then.


lmao at that chitty course

I did a network + course and thought fuk this boring ass chit lmao

sorry man
wanted to help only
wish you good luck.

JFL at neckbeards always getting on their high horse.

These tech are obsolete but you can still come across them out in the field from time to time.

Well thats the funny thing about it, **** isn't used anymore but still taught. Although like above poster said you can encounter them. Its like when psychology courses teach about Freud; **** thats been considered pseudosicence for decades.

AIN'T gonna make it SRS.

> drop out
> sign up for udemy and take all of Mike meyers chit and Jason dions package of 6 tests, all for like $22
> take exams and pass
> profit

that chit is ancient dinosaur tech. anyone they send to work on it will be an experienced old fart. Its pointless to teach it, ethernet has been king for almost 3 decades now.


And watch your tone when you talk with me, you dont want to get on my bad side.

You wanna throw hands?

No it wont, Business leaders dont differentiate between people who understand 'old' and 'new' network toplogies.. they're just sending the 'computer guy' and he will be expected to do the job whatever he's faced with.

It is ancient, just like windows XP but you still should know some basics of it as many POS terminals still run it. But if you're the guy they're sending to do the job, you best know at least the basics of what you're looking at, right? What if he is tasked with transitioning a site from RING topology and he must do it in stages. What if OP just starts ripping cables out randomly and takes the whole thing down? OP then files for unemployment

sounds like a gatekeeper rather than a teacherhere OP, dont want you getting fired first day

Holy phuk

Here's is the response from the professor. Can any misc linguists decrypt? It's going to be a long semester

Your understanding is right?

The idea behind the activity is to explore and understand the concepts and basics about each topology and why they are used in situations in which they are applicable. This activity piggybacks on the Discussion 1 question. The activity is meant for you to simulate an experiment, which is intended to make you see and visualize the discussion question in some way.

Some other information for you is below:

For activity 2 Question b as below:
b. Placing the routers and switches between these two PCS and connect the routers and switches using 1) BUS, 2) STAR and 3) RING 4) MESH topology connection.

Note the LAB Question: 1. Explain what you observed for each topology as per task 6 and 7.................

Here is a hint, link the two statements above and note the statements below:
1. Explain what you were able to achieve for each configuration.
2. Were you able PING (test end to end connectivity) the devices? Why was it possible and why was it not possible? (You may not have been able to even connect the devices with that configuration, so why was it not possible)?
3. You are to use 2PCs, 3 Routers and 2 Switches and want to achieve these configurations, what issues did you encounter?

Further hint from the objective of the activity:
The objective of the activity is to understand the concepts behind each of these topologies, where they are applicable, how they are created and the devices that are used in such topology configurations.

You will encounter possibilities and impossibilities. These issues are part of the observations. State these issues and probably propose solutions if you can. These will make you understand where certain topologies fit and why some topologies fit best in certain situations. In some situations, you may have device constraints, so, which topology will enable you create an optimal network with good connectivity between devices?
In some situations, you have more than enough devices, so, which topology will enable you create and achieve an optimal network.

Explore in your creation and configuration.

Had to learn this **** in school too, never used 90% of it at my real job lmao.

The point of the assignment is to show that you understand the different topologies and how certain topologies are more robust as they don’t have a single point of failure.

Yes use all components even if it wouldn’t be necessary in the real world. You could make a bus network like that, but you’re right that it’d be weird.

so would I just connect the three routers and two switches inline? Like pc - switch - router - router - router - switch - PC ?

I'll give it a try I guess lol