Point-to-multipoint

In short: In point-to-multipoint (P2MP) one central point is connected to several remote stations that usually do not communicate directly with each other.

In more detail: A hub (transmitter, base station, server) keeps the connection to many outstations. The opposite is point-to-point (P2P): exactly two stations connected directly.

In Depth

• Examples: mobile base station with many phones, a Wi-Fi access point with its devices, radio links to several sites, passive fibre networks (PON) for households.
• Advantages: one hub serves many participants, saves effort compared with many single lines and is easy to extend.
• Disadvantages: bandwidth is shared. If the hub fails, everyone is affected. Access must be regulated, for radio e.g. by CSMA/CA.
• Related: in principle it is a star topology with one centre. Distributing a message to groups is called multicast.

See also: network topologies, chain topology