Computer Science
Local Area Network
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that connects computers and devices within a limited area, such as a home, office, or school. It allows for the sharing of resources, such as files, printers, and internet connections, among connected devices. LANs are typically faster and more secure than wide area networks (WANs) due to their smaller geographic scope.
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10 Key excerpts on "Local Area Network"
eBook - ePubThe Froehlich/Kent Encyclopedia of Telecommunications
Volume 13 - Network-Management Technologies to NYNEX
- Fritz E. Froehlich, Allen Kent(Authors)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
Networks for Local-Area Communications—An Overview of LANsIntroduction
The local-area network (LAN) is used to communicate information among computers and other devices over a limited region. Although the devices interconnected by a LAN are most commonly computers, they are not limited to any class of equipment and include video display units, printers, storage devices, sensors and monitoring devices, and facsimile machines. The geographical span of LANs can range from a single room to a collection of buildings; typically, the LAN provides coverage for a region of diameter less than 10 kilometers. Unlike a public communications network, the LAN is usually installed and operated by a single enterprise or organization.Since its first appearance in the 1970s (nearly simultaneously with the advent of the single-user workstation), the LAN has grown steadily in popularity. Users have realized significant benefits from sharing resources accessible over LANs, and new applications, such as distributed file systems, electronic mail, windows-based graphical user interfaces, hypermedia browsers, and desktop videoconferencing, have spread primarily through the LAN environment. Indeed, the entire area of client-server computing has come about largely because of the LAN.Today, nearly every networked computer has a LAN as its primary network interface. The LANs are then interconnected to form a global internetwork, such as the well-known Internet, which now encompasses over 30,000 LANs worldwide. (The Internet is a large, global, packet-switching network of computers that use the Internet Protocol [IP]. It is the direct descendent of the ARPANET, the world’s first packet-switching network.)
No longer available |Learn moreData Communications and Computer Networks
A Business User's Approach
- Curt White, , , (Authors)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- Cengage Learning EMEA(Publisher)
Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. INTRODUCTION A Local Area Network (LAN) is a communications network that interconnects a variety of data communications devices within a small geographic area and transmits data at high data transfer rates. Several points in this definition merit a closer look. The phrase “ data communications devices ” covers computers such as personal computers, computer workstations, and mainframe computers, as well as peripheral devices such as disk drives, printers, and modems. Data communications devices could also include items such as motion, smoke, and heat sensors; fire alarms; ventilation systems; and motor speed controls. These latter devices are often found in businesses and manufacturing environments where assembly lines and robots are commonly used. The next piece of the definition, “ within a small geographic area, ” usually implies that a Local Area Network can be as small as one room, or can extend over multiple rooms, over multiple floors within a building, and even over multiple buildings within a single campus. The most common geographic areas, however, are a room or multiple rooms within a single building. Lastly, the final phrase of the definition states that Local Area Networks are capable of transmitting data at “ high data transfer rates. ” While early Local Area Networks transmitted data at only 10 million bits per second, the newest Local Area Networks can transmit data at 10 billion bits per second and higher. Perhaps the strongest advantage of a Local Area Network is its capability of allowing users to connect their computers to the Internet. In this way, we can use a Web browser or other Internet software to access all the resources of the Inter-net. Secondly, a Local Area Network allows users to share hardware and software resources.
eBook - PDF- Barry J. Elliott(Author)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
6 Local Area Networking and associated cabling 6.1 Introduction A LAN is a collection of hardware and software components that allows and facilitates communications between shared networking devices. These devices can be personal computers (PCs), dumb ter minals, printers, storage devices and access devices to the outside world such as routers. The ‘local’ in LAN usually means a privately owned site of less than four kilometres in diameter, but the definition of where LANs end and telecommunication systems start is becoming more and more obscure. Where LANs do need to connect to remote sites they have to interface with a telecommunication system and these are then col lectively called wide area networks (WANs), or even metropolitan area networks (MANs), if the majority of connections remain within the same city. The driving force in LAN is the growth in power of micropro cessors and the corresponding growth in size of the associated applications software packages that can run on them. More com puting power and cheaper memory chips leads users to run more bandwidth-hungry applications such as anything involving video or pictures. The last few years of the 1990s saw the change in micro processor products from the Intel 486 to the Pentium, Pentium II and Local Area Networking and associated cabling 59 ending the decade with the Intel Pentium III running at 733 MHz and the AMD Athlon running at 750 MHz. 2001 will see the introduction of 64 bit computing, compared with 32 bit, which will give another enormous boost to chip processing power. To communicate with the outside world the computer needs a high-speed communications link concomitant with the speed and processing power of the microprocessor. The LAN must therefore keep pace with the demands of the personal computer and the struc tured cabling system must keep ahead of the demands of the LAN.
eBook - PDF- Steve Winder, Mike Tooley(Authors)
- 2002(Publication Date)
- Newnes(Publisher)
8 Local Area Networks A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network which covers a limited area and which generally provides a high data rate capability. A LAN is invariably confined to a single site (ie, a building or group of buildings) and provides for the exchange of information and efficient use of shared resources within the site. In general a LAN should: • conform to a well defined international standard supported by a number of manufacturers and vendors • support a high data rate (typically 1 to 10 Mbps) • have a maximum range of typically at least 500 metres and, in some cases, as much as 10 km • be capable of supporting a variety of hardware independent devices (connected as nodes ) • provide high standards of reliability and data integrity • exhibit minimal reliance on centralised components and controlling elements • maintain performance under conditions of high loading • allow easy installation and expansion • readily permit maintenance, reconfiguration, and expansion. LAN topology Local Area Networks are often categorised in terms of the topology which they employ. The following topologies are commonly encoun-tered; star, ring, tree , and bus (the latter is a tree which has only one trunk and no branches ). In star topology, a central switching element is used to connect all of the needs within the network. A node wishing to transmit data to another node must initiate a request to the central switching ele-ment which will then provide a dedicated path between them, once the circuit has been established, the two nodes may communicate as if they were connected by a dedicated point-to-point path. Ring topology is characterised by a closed loop to which each node is attached by means of a repeating element. Data circulates around the ring on a series of point-to-point links which exist between the repeaters.
eBook - PDF- Matthew N. O. Sadiku(Author)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
A local area com- puter network is a system of computer-based stations interconnected by communication links. It provides a point-to-point communication among these stations located within a moderately sized geographical area. Communication takes place at data rates of 0.1 Mbps to 16 Mbps. Transmission can be baseband or broadband. Commonly used transmission media employed with LANs include twisted-pairs wire, coaxial cable, and optical fiber. Fiber optics will be the transmission medium of the future because of its high bandwidth capability and reliability. The three common topologies used for LANs are bus, ring, and star. Access to the transmission medium can be controlled or random. Token ring and token bus topologies use token passing protocol, whereas carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) uses random control on a bus- or tree-structured network. Local Area Networks 15 Network architectures use a layered approach and define the inter- faces between layers in a given network node and within the same layer in two different nodes. OS1 provides a generalized model of system in- terconnection, and IEEE Project 802 has developed a set of standards for LANs. Remarkable progress has been made in the field of computer com- munication networks with the acceptance of protocols and standards. The capabilities of LANs and the benefits they offer are clear and their future is bright. Local Area Networks will assume a monumental role in our future lives and will have a lasting impact on the way we conduct business transactions. References [l] C. D. Tsao, A Local Area Network Architecture Overview,'' IEEE Comm. Mug., vol. 22, no. 8, Aug. 1984, pp. 7-11. [2] W. Stallings, Local and Metropolitan Area Networks. New York: Macmillan, 4th ed., 1993. [3] J. M. Kryskow and C. K. Miller, Local Area Networks Overview (2 parts), Computer Design, Feb. 1981, pp. 22-25, Mar. 1981, pp. 12-20. [4] R. M. Metcalfe and D.
No longer available |Learn moreNetworking Fundamentals
Develop the networking skills required to pass the Microsoft MTA Networking Fundamentals Exam 98-366
- Gordon Davies(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Packt Publishing(Publisher)
The exam objectives specifically call out LANs and wide area networks (WANs). LANs and WANs will be discussed in this and the following chapters. I will round off this chapter with a brief explanation of metropolitan area networks (MANs), campus area networks (CANs), and Personal Area Networks (PANs). The following diagram is a visual representation of where each of these fits in the scale of networks: Figure 2.1: Scale of networks It should be noted that you may see the acronyms prefixed with the letter W ; for example, WLAN, WWAN, and so on. This usually indicates that it is a wireless variant of the network. Introduction to LANs I'm going to start this section by asking you to complete an activity. The reason for this is that I feel that if you can understand how your home network is connected, you will understand the concepts we will discuss here better. Activity 1 : Sketch out your home network. Don't worry about artistic quality; this is not the aim here. Draw any device you have on your network and how they connect together. If they are wired together, draw a solid line between the devices; if they are wireless, draw a lightning bolt between them. Congratulations! You have just drawn out a LAN. My home network is as follows: Figure 2.2: My home network So, what is a LAN? A LAN can be described as something that covers a small geographical area that's small enough that the devices can be classed as being local to each other. When you sketched your home network, all of the devices were in the vicinity of each other, that, is, all of them were within your house. However, LANs are not restricted to home use, and they are prevalent in most organizations. Most modern LANs will usually be a combination of wired and wireless devices, and we will discuss these shortly
eBook - ePubIntroduction to Communications Technologies
A Guide for Non-Engineers, Third Edition
- Stephan Jones, Ronald J. Kovac, Frank M. Groom(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
A Local Area Network (LAN) is an excellent example of packet-switching technology. A LAN is a privately owned network that provides communication to a local environment (typically less than 2 km). The network can support interfloor, interbuilding, and even intercampus communication, and can be used to connect local devices to a larger network. Another characteristic of the LAN is the packet-switching, or shared, environment. At any one point in time, different packets are present, each “owned” by different users and destined for different locations.Business and Human Factors
Whether in a social or professional setting, people need to communicate with one another. In a business situation, this is not only a human need but also a business imperative. For work to be accomplished, people need to work together to solve problems and create resources for the company. LANs perform two essential functions: they (1) allow for information sharing and (2) provide resource sharing. These benefit the organization by allowing for improved decision making and, therefore, increased competitiveness.During the 1980s, when personal computers (PCs), in significant numbers, were implemented in the working world, islands of information were created that were connected only to a human operator. Increased data and information were generated, but without an efficient and effective means to share the information, they were usually lost within the confines of a department. In the 1990s, the LAN connected these islands of information together, thus creating bridges (network) between users. The most common information-sharing applications are electronic mail, calendaring, and file transfer.Another popular use of LANs is resource sharing. Essentially, many people share a single device. For example, each user with a PC may need to print files every so often. A printer can be obtained for each person, or a common printer (resource) can be shared among departmental personnel. The same concept of sharing a printer can be applied to many hardware devices (scanner, fax machine, etc.) as well as software. Rather than install a copy of a word processing package on each departmental PC, a single copy can be placed on a centralized resource, a server, to be used by many people. Resource sharing, although a bit more complicated in terms of implementation and delivery, leads to centralized management and support, decreases cost, and increases effectiveness of resources.
eBook - PDFBeyond the Book
Technology Integration into the Secondary School Library Media Curriculum
- Sandra L. Doggett(Author)
- 2000(Publication Date)
- Libraries Unlimited(Publisher)
A teacher can learn to manage the hard drive of a single computer. But a net- worked computer requires higher-level skills than most teachers are willing—or have the time—to learn. Local Area Network (LAN) A LAN is a group of interconnected computers that can share software, data, and printers, as well as track student progress and keep an inventory of hardware at- tached to it. A LAN can connect the computers in one room, or in multiple rooms, throughout the building or several buildings that are in close proximity. A LAN pro- vides centralized control of resources. A LAN has several characteristics that distinguish it from stand-alone comput- ers. First, the proximity of the workstations is important. They are rarely more than one mile apart and often are in the same room or building. Second, the workstations share files. For example, one person could start a document, and another person could finish it on another workstation. Third, speed is maximized because you can share files without saving to a disk, carrying that disk to another workstation, and loading it there. Finally, LANs are relatively easy to expand. Although there are limits, you can add many additional computers without significant cost. There are many advantages to a LAN in a school. First, it enables workstations to interact with each other. Students can use any computer connected to the LAN to work on files that they have saved to the network. For example, if a student starts a word processing document in an English classroom and saves it to the network, they can later pull up the unfinished document in the library to complete it. Second, a net- work makes it possible to share hardware resources such as scanners, CD-ROMs, printers, multimedia centers, modem pools, and video centers. Third, software with a network license can be loaded onto the network for all to share. This means a pro- gram need only be loaded once, rather than on every workstation in the building.
eBook - PDF- Architecture Technology Architecture Technology Corpor, Architecture Technology Corpor(Authors)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Elsevier Science(Publisher)
Personal Computer Local Networks began, eight to ten years ago, to build communications systems which were optimized for communications within this local area: i.e., a local-area network. The efficiency and suitability of a communications system which is optimized for a small geographical area is one of the key motivating factors in the whole technology - the idea of very efficient, optimized, local communications. 13 The Major PC LAN Pieces PC LANs consist of three major components: hardware, software, and people. Hardware includes the personal computer (PC) machines and a network interface card that connects the PCs into a Local Area Network. The PC may or may not include floppy disks since one trend in PC LANs is diskless PCs. Diskless workstations eliminate the costs of the disk drives and, to a degree, enhance security as data cannot be taken off the system via floppy disk. Typically, most systems require extra RAM in the PCs because this is where the LAN communications software will reside. However, RAM requirements can vary extensively from system to system. Software should be able to support single and multi-user applications although it may require some extension or modification for a multi-user LAN environment. Support for future software applications must be considered when choosing a LAN. Software also consists of utilities which perform network commands. The third component of a PC local network system is people, the hidden cost. People must install the cable, connect the PCs, configure the software, and bring up the system. They must manage and maintain the system and train others how to use it. Although these things may be easy to do with four or five computers, when a system grows to sixty or one hundred PCs on a LAN, a management problem may result as many shared resources are distributed.
eBook - PDF- Syngress(Author)
- 2002(Publication Date)
- Syngress(Publisher)
LAN Technologies such as Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet,Token Ring, and Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) are prevalent in the networking industry today. There are three primary types of networks, the Local Area Network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), and the wide area network (WAN).The dis-tinguishing feature of these networks is the spatial distance covered. LANs, as the name implies, are typically contained in a single structure or small geographic region. Groups of LANs interconnected may also be referred to as a campus in larger environments. MANs connect points or nodes in a geographic region larger than a LAN, but smaller than a WAN. Some of the same LAN technologies may be employed in a MAN, such as Gigabit Ethernet.WANs are geographically diverse networks and typically use technologies different from LANs or MANs. WANs typically are comprised of high-speed circuits leased from a telecommuni-cations provider to facilitate connectivity.WANs rarely use the same technologies as LANs or MANs.Technologies such as Frame Relay, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), X.25, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and others may be used.This is because of the larger distances WANs service. Defining Topologies Within the definition of a network, points or nodes are connected by communi-cation paths.These paths may vary significantly depending on the paths imple-mented.We cover four primary topologies: bus , star , ring , and mesh . Each topology has strengths and weaknesses, as well as different associated costs. A good network design will take each topology into consideration to determine the best solution. Introduction to Wireless Local Area Networks • Chapter 1 3 4 Chapter 1 • Introduction to Wireless Local Area Networks N OTE The word topology can refer to either the physical or logical layout of the network.
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