Which topology resembles a star shape with a central hub?

The star topology is characterized by its central hub or switch to which all other devices on the network are directly connected. This arrangement resembles a star shape, with the hub at the center and the connected devices radiating outward. One of the main advantages of a star topology is that if one of the peripheral connections fails, it does not affect the rest of the network; only the device connected to that particular link is impacted. Additionally, this setup simplifies network management and troubleshooting because all data traffic passes through the central hub, allowing for easier monitoring and control.

In contrast, the bus topology utilizes a single central cable (the bus) to which all network devices are connected, meaning that if the bus fails, the entire network can go down. The mesh topology features multiple interconnections between devices, allowing for multiple paths for data transmission, but it lacks the simplified structure of a central hub. The ring topology forms a closed loop where each device connects to two others; if one connection fails, it can disrupt the entire network unless there's a mechanism to bypass the faulty connection. Therefore, the specific characteristics of star topology are what make it the correct choice for depicting a network resembling a star shape with a central hub.