Demystifying LANs: Dive into the world of local area networks, exploring their capabilities, advantages, and potential drawbacks. Discover how LANs can empower your home or office, fostering collaboration and boosting productivity.
Key Takeaways:
- LANs connect devices in a limited geographical area, typically a home, office, or school.
- They enable resource sharing, collaboration, and enhanced productivity.
- Setting up and securing LANs can incur costs.
Q: What is a LAN?
A: A local area network (LAN) is a network that connects devices in a confined geographical space, like a residence, office, or school. It facilitates resource sharing, fosters collaboration, and streamlines productivity. However, establishing and safeguarding LANs can necessitate financial investment.
LAN stands for Local Area Network. Especially LANs are computer networks that cover a small geographical area, such as a room, office, or building. LANs can serve two to several hundred users in homes or businesses.
Multiple LANs across the world can be joined together, often using wires or radio waves.
When setup correctly, LANs can improve productivity, collaboration and the company’s bottom line, keeping employees and customers happy.
What Is A Basic LAN Setup?
LANs usually consist of several devices, called nodes, which connect with radio waves (WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) or cables.
A node is essentially a computer, printer or other devices which can connect to a network. Every node will have a unique network address (MAC address).
Usually, a basic setup will contain a router, one or more computers and a resource, like a printer. These connect through wires or wirelessly. More nodes can be added to make the system work.
What Are The Benefits Of LANs?
Resource Sharing
LANs allow multiple people to share resources, applications and files. Without a working network, everyone in the office would need their own hard-drive or printer, which would be impractical and expensive.
By connecting everything up, you can easily share information and resources, without needing additional desk space.
Centralised Data
Having a computer network means all information can be kept in one place and can be accessed by multiple users. This allows members of the same team to access all the resources needed to do their job. This could be a company intranet or a collection of files.
Cheaper Long-Term Cost
In the long-run, networks will work out cheaper, especially if you are leasing printers. Network equipment can last for at least three years before it needs to be replaced.
Productivity And Collaboration
Networks allow teams to work together and work faster. Networks can integrate with a number of technologies, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, allowing staff to access data, resources and more at the click of a button.
What Are The Disadvantages of LANs
High Setup Cost
LANs will be cost-effective in the long run, but in the short term, it can be expensive depending on how big your team is, and what your requirements are.
Security
Any virus that gets into your network has the potential to infect all the devices on the network, which means you need to be vigilant and proactive when it comes to your network security.
Privacy
Centralised data means that without proper care, anyone can access the files on the network. However, while files can be locked down for users, you will always need one person with access to everything, usually a LAN administrator.
