What is Local Area Network (LAN)?

What local area network is?

Local area network is also being known as LAN. It is a collection of computers and communication equipment in one location that communicate via the same communication line or wireless link with servers in other parts of the world. LANs can range from a single user’s home network to a corporate network with thousands of users and devices in an office or school.

Types of LAN

There are some types of LANs: client/server LAN, peer-to-peer LAN, wired LAN and wireless LAN.

In a client-server local area network setup, a single server connects to multiple devices, which is clients. Client devices are unable to communicate with one another, and network traffic management, network access control, and other tasks are handled by centralized machines. This type of LAN might be faster on a small scale, but it would put too much strain on the central server on a larger scale.

Because they don’t have a central server to handle heavy workloads, peer-to-peer LANs are smaller than client/server LANs. All connected devices can communicate with each other, whether they are servers or clients. Each device on a peer-to-peer LAN shares the network’s resources equally. What local area network share are resources and data, by connecting to Internet switches or routers through wired or wireless connections. The vast majority of home networks are peer-to-peer.

Wired LAN and wireless LAN are the two most popular types of LAN today. In wired LANs, data is transferred through optical fibers using electrical waves rather than tokens. Wired LAN is very dependable and quick, but it is dependent on the performance of the central server. However, it can limit portability and flexibility, especially in workplaces with a lot of devices.

Wireless LANs are popular in homes for connecting computers, wearable, smart appliances, and other devices, but they also have a sizable enterprise market. What local area network of this type use is radio frequency, it is to transmit data, making it vulnerable to security threats. It’s also power-hungry, with performance that varies depending on the wireless’s location.

Whatever form of local area network you choose, it will improve resource utilization and provide access to a wide range of users.

Benefits of LAN

Local area network allows devices to communicate with one another by connecting, transmitting, and receiving data. Here are some benefits of LAN. LAN allows users to access centralized applications hosted on servers. And it allows all devices to store business-critical data in one spot. Users can also share resources and services through LAN easily. What local area network enables is LAN’s various devices to share a single internet connection. It also uses network security techniques to secure LAN-connected devices.

Baudcom offers all types of Local Area Network LAN related products. For more information, please feel free to contact us.