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lan | wan
A Local Area Network (LAN) is the most basic of all networks.
Even a WAN is just a connection of 2 different LAN's.
A LAN allows a user to share its resources - files,
printers, email, etc. Without a LAN, sharing would be difficult.
Within the LAN world, there is wireless and wired, or a combination of both.
A wired LAN just means that there is a physical cable that connects the devices.
A wireless network connects over a radio and does not rely on physical cabling.
Most LAN's connect via either a hub or a switch. Today these devices are rated by speed
10/100/1000 means 10MBps, 100MBps, or 1000MBps or "ten", "one-hundred", and "gig".
This device is the main building block in any network.
To connect a LAN to the Internet usually requires a router.
A router is basically an intelligent switch that takes packets on the LAN, examines them, and realizes
that they need to go to another destination, and sends it out its "WAN"
port destined for the Internet. The router then performs the same function
in reverse for packets coming into the LAN from the Internet.
Most routers employ Network Address Translation (NAT) to translate the public
IP address assigned to it to a private IP address for the LAN. This also provides
a measure of security.
Please browse through our Case Studies for examples of successful
LAN solutions.
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