Computer Science · Ch 10 — Computer Networks
Local Area Network (LAN)
Local Area Network (LAN)
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that connects devices placed within a limited physical distance. The devices can include computers, mobile phones, tablets, a mouse, a printer, and other peripherals. The key idea is that everything is close together — the network does not stretch across cities or countries.
The geographical area a LAN can cover ranges from a single room, a floor of a building, or an office with one or more buildings on the same premises. It can also cover a laboratory, a school, a college, or an entire university campus. The actual connection between devices is made using wires, Ethernet cables, fibre optics, or Wi-Fi.
LANs are comparatively secure because only authentic users on the network can access other computers or shared resources. For example, users can print documents using a connected printer, or upload and download documents and software to and from a local server. This short-range communication comes with high-speed data transfer rates. …
Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your textbook's own diagram.
A Local Area Network (LAN) covers a small area — a single room, floor, or building — and connects a handful of devices that are close together. Here, seven devices (desktops, a tower PC, a scanner, a printer) all tap into a single shared cable running through the middle, rather than needing a separate wire to a central box. …