What is a fundamental disadvantage of a star topology?

• A. Single point of failure
• B. Low cost
• C. High speed
• D. Flexible deployment

Answer: (A)

A central vulnerability of a star network is that the hub or switch sits in the middle of everything, creating a single point of failure. If that central device fails or loses power, all devices lose their connection because every communication must pass through it. That dependence on one central node is the fundamental drawback of the star layout, which is why redundancy (like dual hubs or backup power) is often considered to improve resilience. The other statements aren’t inherent disadvantages: costs, speed, and deployment flexibility depend on the specific hardware and design choices, but they don’t define the core risk shared by all star networks.