A computer network, which spans a relatively small
area, is known as LAN. Most LANs are confined to a single building or group of
buildings. However, one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance
via telephone lines and radio waves. A system of LANs connected in this way is
called a wide-area network (WAN).
Most LANs connect workstations and personal computers.
Each node (individual computer) in a LAN has its own CPU with which it executes
programs, but it also is able to access data and devices anywhere on the LAN.
This means that many users can share expensive devices, such as laser printers,
as well as data. Users can also use the LAN to communicate with each other, by
sending e-mail or engaging in chat sessions.
There are many different types of LANs Ethernets being
the most common foe PCs. Most Apple Macintosh networks are based on Apple’s
Apple Talk network system, which is built into Macintosh computers.
The
following characteristics differentiate one LAN from another:
Topology: The geometric
arrangement of devices on the network. For example, devices can be arranged in
a ring or in a straight line.
Protocols: The roles and
encoding specifications for sending data. The protocols also determine whether
the network uses a peer-to-peer or client/server architecture.
Media: Twisted-pair wire, coaxial cables, or fiber optic
cables can connect devices. Some networks do without connecting media
altogether, communicating instead via radio waves.
LANs are capable of transmitting data at very faster
than data can be transmitted over a telephone line; but the distances are
limited, and there is also a limit on the number of computers that can be
attached to a single LAN.
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LOCAL AREA NETWORK
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