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Local Area Network (LAN)

Local Area Network

A client – server network based in a single location is known as a Local Area Network (LAN). LAN networks are usually located in a single building or small cluster of buildings.

 

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Wide Area Network

Organisations which are based across a wider site are usually made up of a number of individual Local Area Networks , but all these LANs would be joined together using a bridge, router or modem, in order to form a large Wide Area Network.

This allows multiple LANs to:

  • Share access to devices such as printers and scanners
  • Share file access across multiple LANs
  • Share access to a single internet service.

The internet is an example of a very, very large WAN.