Do you need to know what is LAN, what does it mean, other types of network and some more information related to this topic?

All the information that you need to know about this subject and some more issues relating to it are in this article.

What is LAN?

• It connects devices to a particular area.
• The minimum number of users, in this case, are two.
• In this type of networking, cables are used that connect the computers.

Recommended Read What Are Computer Monitor Cable Types?

 Full Form of LAN:

Its full form is the local area network. It builds connections among devices by wires.

What Does LAN Mean?

The concept came in 1960 when people felt the need for a connection between devices by which they could share resources quickly.

For this reason, there were some experiments and as a result of which Ethernet was introduced.

In its cabling first, coaxial cable was used then STP (shielded twisted paired) wiring protected them.

Thus it includes two main things. These are

1. Cables
2. Switches

What is LAN Cable and Driver?

Cable plays an essential part in networking. Different wiring is available for such wires.

It consists of a plug also.

They provide excellent performance.

The two ends of the cable should be kept at a nearer distance so that they may receive signals quickly.

Its two types are:

• Standard cables
• Crossover cables

LAN Driver:

• It helps the operating system to do networking settings and build communication with the network card; these drivers are soft-wares on your device.
• They are also known as network drivers.
• They help to run the device and also check the hardware necessities for establishing a connection.

How to Network Two Computers?

There are many ways to connect two computers to share stuff like files and other works.

I shall discuss some of them here.

• The first way to connect it is by Ethernet cable.
• You can use an Ethernet cable to build a connection.
• An Ethernet adapter is also required.
• You can also do it by building up a network connection. Use the ping command for this purpose.
• You can also use USB hubs for this purpose.
• The wireless connection can also be set up.
• Some common form of wireless connection includes Bluetooth, WiFi and infrared.

You can also convert from Wifi into ethernet by using a wireless bridge.

Wireless LAN Setup:

WLAN is the term referred to as wireless LAN. You can also call it a LAWN (local area wireless network).

In this type of network connection, we use a wireless LAN adapter.

The connection in WLAN is for a limited area range

What is Wireless LAN Adaptor?

It is a network card that we use to get access to a connection using a port that is on a device (PC or laptop or any other device of this sort).

They resemble USB flash drives physically.

With the help of this impressive technology, you can easily share files or whatever you intend to.

What Do a LAN Cable and Port Look Like?

They may come in different sizes and shapes but the that is common to them all is the rectangular connector present at both ends.

Ordinarily, such cables have up to 8 wires.

We plug them into ports.

These ports are more significant than the wires; this is because they may quickly put it into them.

The two ends of cables are too close to each other for better performance. If they are at a much more considerable distance, then there may be some interruption or problems in receiving signals.

 The Difference Between LAN and WAN:

Full form of WAN is a wide area network. We use both of them in building the connection between computers, but there are some differences between the two.

Wan vs. LAN:

• WAN works in creating a connection in vast areas while the other one works for a limited space.
• The speed of WAN is slower.
• There is more error in transmitting data in a WAN than the other network connection.
• The bandwidth available in Wan is also less than the one in LAN.
• The internet that connects us is the WAN, the largest WAN.

Issues in LAN and Their Solution:

Some common problems that people face while using this network connection are listed below along with their causes.

• Sometimes the cable damages may result in error and interference in connection. Thus the physical layer gets damages in this case.
• There may be some problem with the networking device also that may be a cause of hindrance in getting a real connection. This result in damage to the network layer.
• There may be a problem with the switches also.

Wide Area Network Advantages And Disadvantages:

Advantages:

• By using it, you don’t need to have separate servers for a different building. You need to have one in the central office. This server management becomes quite more comfortable.
• Privacy is also one of its primary benefits. You can share private files smoothly with other users without sending them online. This way you can easily overcome the current internet security issues.
• Have made communication much more manageable.

To know more about servers read The Ultimate Guide to Network Web Server

Disadvantage:

• At the first place, it is a little bit complex.
• Secondly, it is expensive.
• Furthermore, security is also an issue.

Metropolitan Area Network:

This system is different from the above two because we use it in a field higher than LAN but smaller than WAN.

No doubt this network connection provides a reasonable speed.

The area covered by it is up to 50 km.

• We create MAN by connecting LANs.
• It is a medium-sized network.
• Its working mechanism is similar to that of an ISP. The only difference is that no one organization owns it.
• Moreover, it provides a shared connection to the users.
• It works on DLL (Data Link Layer).
• Also, it enables the communication between two or more independent LAN nodes.
• It mostly uses optical fiber.

Advantages:

• It increases data handling efficiency.
• It provides centralized management of data.

Campus Area Network:

• It consists of Ethernet.
• Moreover, it is a type of network connection that covers the area that is a little bit smaller than MAN.

Storage Area Network:

• This network is made up of storage devices.
• It connects different storage devices with servers.
• One can access the storage on this network by networking applications.
• It is much useful as it provides backup of data.
• You can access this data in case of data loss.
• It provides much flexibility also.

Final Words:

Now I am sure you must have known what LAN, it is useful and other types of network connection are.

There are many hidden benefits of using this technology.

Due to its remarkable performance, speed and security its usage is increasing from time to time.

To enjoy better connectivity, I would suggest you try it.

Also, check out Networking Tips [Infographic]