LANs and WANs

LANs and WANs

1. LANs

   • Advantages
     • Expensive peripherals can be shared between a number of computers
     • A single copy of software can be stored on the file server and shared by all the computers on a network
     • Users can communicate with each other on the network by email/ broadcasting/ conferencing
     • Users can share files/ work on joint projects using shared resources/ folders on the network
     • Users have flexible access- they can log on at any computer to access their files
   • Local Area Network
     • A number of computers linked together on single sites
   • -Spreads over a small geographical area
   • -Can link computers using copper cabling

2. WANs

   • Wide Area Netowork
     • A collection of networks connected using a telecommunications link
       • EG. the internet
   • -Spreads over a vast geological area
   • -Is a network of networks
   • -Links networks using fibre optic cable/wireless link