Local Area Network

Local Area Network It is a network that connects computers in a limited geographic area such as a school computer laboratory, an office, or a group of closely positioned buildings. Each computer or device on the network is called a node. The nodes are connected to the LAN via cables. The two kinds of LAN are peer-to-peer network and client/server network. There were many types (topologies) of LAN, in general, we have BUS, RING and STAR. The following characteristics differentiate one LAN from another: topology : The geometric arrangement of devices on the network. For example, devices can be arranged in a ring or in a straight line. protocols : The rules and encoding specifications for sending data. The protocols also determine whether the network uses a peer-to-peer or client/server architecture. LANs are capable of transmitting data at very fast rates, much faster than data can be transmitted over a telephone line; but the distances are limited, and there is also a limit on the number of computers that can be attached to a single LAN. back