Networks - LANs and WANs

Networks - LANs and WANs

1. LAN - Local Area Network

   • covers a small geographical area located on a single site
   • All hardware for a LAN is owned by the organisation that uses it.
   • LANs are either wired with Ethernet cables or wireless, using WiFi.
   • Found in businesses, schools and universities.
   • Lots of homes have LAN to connect various devices such as PCs,tablets, smart TVs, printers
   • LANs make sharing files easier, network users can access the same files, work collaboratively on them and copy files between machines.
   • You can share the same hardware like printers on LAN
   • Internet connection can be shared between every device connected to a LAN
   • You can install and update software on all computers at once
   • You can communicate with LAN users cheaply and easily, e.g Instant Messaging.
   • User accounts can be stores centrally, users can log in from any device on the network.

2. WAN - Wide Area Network

   • Connects LANs that are in different geographical locations
     • E.g - A business with offices in three different countries would need a WAN for all their devices to connect together.
   • Unlike a WAN, organisations hire infrastructure (communication lines) from telecommunications companies, who own and manage the WAN. This is as a WAN is much more expensive to set up than a LAN.
   • WANs may be connected using fibre or copper telephone lines, satellite links or radio links.
   • The Internet is the biggest WAN