Introduction to local area network:
Local area network is a network of computers and devices within a room or single building. The computers are connected with each other through multiple ways like fiber optics, coaxial cables, and wireless. In LAN multiple computers are monitored with one or more administrators. The job of the administrator is to install software on computers in the network. Administrator has also a responsibility to check if any software or hardware update is required to the computer in the network. Hardware technician or administrator have also a duty to install LAN for the first time in the office, room or building. Different LAN’s connect with one another to make a big network also known as a wide area network (WAN).
LAN uses the switch, router, network card, cables and modems for making the network.
There are two main types of LAN’s:-
Wired LAN:
Wired LAN has the following features:-
- Wired LAN uses 802.3 LAN infrastructure
- It uses electronic waves to transfer data through cables
- Data protection is high
- Wired LAN have strong signal all the time
- No strict standards apply
Wireless LAN (WLAN):
Wireless LAN has the following features:-
- WLAN uses 802.11 wireless infrastructure
- WLAN uses radio frequency to transfer data between computers and devices
- Data protection is low because by using radio frequency anybody can have access to the network
- In WLAN, client and server connect wirelessly through an access point (AP)
- WLAN signals become weak if you go beyond the limited distance
- WLAN uses radio frequency so some country standards may apply to it
- On mobile, wireless LAN consumes battery i.e. if you give your mobile access to multiple devices then your mobile battery is consumed more.