What is a drawback of bus topology?

A significant drawback of bus topology is the complete network failure that can occur if the central line, or bus, is compromised. In a bus topology, all devices are connected to a single central cable (the bus), and data travels in both directions along this cable. If the bus experiences a failure—such as a break or malfunction—communication between all devices is disrupted, leading to a total network breakdown.

This highlights a critical vulnerability in bus topologies; since there are no alternative routes for the data to travel, the failure of that central linking cable compromises the entire network’s functionality. This single point of failure is a significant concern in network design and management, as reliability is a key consideration for maintaining continuous operations.

Other options mentioned may address various aspects of network design, but they do not capture the inherent risk associated with the dependence on a single cable in bus topology as effectively as the identified drawback.