local-area network Last modified: Tuesday, February 18, 2003
A computer network that spans a relatively small area. Most LANs are confined to a single building or group of buildings. However, one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves. A system of LANs connected in this way is called a wide-area network (WAN). Most LANs connect workstations and personal computers. Each node (individual computer ) in a LAN has its own CPU with which it executes programs, but it also is able to access data and devices anywhere on the LAN. This means that many users can share expensive devices, such as laser printers, as well as data. Users can also use the LAN to communicate with each other, by sending e-mail or engaging in chat sessions. There are many different types of LANs Ethernets being the most common for PCs. Most Apple Macintosh networks are based on Apple's AppleTalk network system, which is built into Macintosh computers. 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. media : Devices can be connected by twisted-pair wire, coaxial cables, or fiber optic cables. Some networks do without connecting media altogether, communicating instead via radio waves. 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.
•E-mail this definition to a colleague• Sponsored listings IEEE Articles - Free Trial - Access To IEEE Journal & Conference Papers In The IEEE Digital Library. Cisco LAN at Focus Technology - Focus is a leading provider of servers and IT hardware including Cisco LAN. Trained professionals serving our broad spectrum of product lines. The Complete Source for Wireless Network Hardware - Find the Wireless Network Hardware You're Looking For. Featuring the Complete Line of Wi-Fi Hardware for All Major Brands. Free Ground Shipping. For internet.com pages about local-area network . Also check out the following links! Ethernet tutorial  Contains an in-depth introduction to local area networks from Lantronix. LAN Times Online  The LAN Times online publication offers current news and analysis on the networking industry, along with links to trade shows and events, career development, and information on UnixWorld. Simple Guide to Building a Home LAN  An article from Sharky Extreme's Hardware Guide. The Truth About Servers  What makes a server a server? Is there a difference between an e-mail server and a messaging server? Should a firewall be considered a server in certain circumstances? These questions and more are answered in an extensive tutorial that cuts through the marketing hype and explains the basics of key server types. ARCNET Trade Association home page Home page for ARCNET Trade Association, a non-profit organization of ARCNET users and manufacturers. This site provides a history of ARCNET, links to technical publications, membership information, directories, and product information. Cable testers buyers directory Offers a collection of links to cable tester companies and products. This page is hosted by LAN Times Online. CD-ROM LAN FAQ Provides answers to questions on CD-ROM networking solutions and links to related newsgroups, publications, and FTP sites. Data communication links Collection of links to LAN, WAN and serial communications resources from Data Comm for Business, Inc. Usenet Local Area Network (LAN) FAQs Provides links to several LAN FAQs taken from usenet newsgroups. Some of the main topics include: data communications cabling, ethernet LAN, and LAN mail protocols. Yahoo!'s local-area network (LAN) page Yahoo!'s directory of local-area network. Sponsored listings Cisco LAN - Online seller of refurbished Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Juniper, and F5 networks hardware offers Cicso LAN. Used and Refurbished Cisco LAN Products - Buys and sells used and refurbished network equipment, including Cisco LAN (Local Area Network) switching products. Wireless Networking - Business technology search site offering software, service, reseller and hardware information on thousands of IT solutions. GlobalSpec.com: Wireless Networking Devices - Provides database of suppliers for wireless networking devices. Includes catalogs, technical information, and supplier contact information.	Business Computing Network Topologies Networks 5-4-3 rule AppleTalk ARCnet attenuation crosstalk ratio bridge CAN client/server architecture DCC e-mail Ethernet HAN HPNA HSRP IEEE 802 standards internetworking iSCSI LANE logical topology MAN NetWare network network interface card network operating system network-attached storage node Give Us Your Feedback Network Cables local area network LAN Products Shop by Top Models: Paradigm Local Area Networks (763822027) 1 store offers from $8.7 - $8.7 Mcgraw-Hill Local Area Networks (0072336056) 1 store offers from $57 - $57 Belkin 7 ft. Cat. 5e Patch Cable (A3L791-07-S) 9 store offers from $3.63 - $9.99 Belkin 1,001 ft. Cat. 6 UTP Network Cable (A7L704-1000) 11 store offers from $130 - $228 Belkin 1,000 ft. Cat. 5 UTP Patch Cable (A7J304-S-1000) 2 store offers from $70 - $96