What is the purpose of terminator in bus topology?

In a bus topology, the terminator serves to absorb signals at the ends of the bus, preventing them from bouncing back along the cable. This helps to eliminate reflections that can interfere with data transmission, ensuring that signals travel smoothly along the bus. Without terminators, data collisions and network errors can occur, leading to unreliable communication. Thus, terminators are essential for maintaining network integrity and performance.