A topology map should answer a question

Start with the question

Network diagrams become wallpaper when they try to show everything at once. The useful questions are usually smaller: what is this device connected to, which path does traffic take, and where should I look when that path breaks?

So the job of the map is to get you from the overview to one specific relationship.

Structure before detail

I keep the main route visually quiet, make devices selectable, and show ports and direct connections only when they matter. Labels use names a person recognises; implementation detail sits one level deeper.

The result can look simpler than the system underneath it. Nothing is left out. It shows up when you go looking for it.

Public examples need a boundary

A public demo should prove the interaction without publishing a real network. Synthetic switches, access points, and clients make the behaviour inspectable while keeping private infrastructure out of the page.