Local Area Network (LAN)
A LAN (Local Area Network) is a computer network that connects devices within a limited physical area — such as a home, office, or school. It allows devices to share resources (files, printers, internet) and communicate at high speed.
Key Characteristics
- Coverage: Small area (building, campus).
- Speed: Very fast (100 Mbps – 10 Gbps).
- Ownership: Usually private, managed by individuals or organizations.
- Connection Types:
- Wired LAN → Ethernet cables.
- Wireless LAN (WLAN) → Wi‑Fi.
Relationship with Wi‑Fi
- Wi‑Fi is not a separate network type — it is a wireless technology standard (IEEE 802.11) that lets devices connect to a LAN without cables.
- So when you connect your phone to Wi‑Fi at home, you are actually joining your home LAN wirelessly.
- In practice:
- LAN = the network itself.
- Wi‑Fi = one way to access that LAN.
LAN vs WAN
| Feature | LAN | WAN |
| Coverage | Local area (home, office, campus) | Wide area (cities, countries) |
| Speed | High (100 Mbps–10 Gbps) | Lower, depends on telecom infra |
| Ownership | Private, managed locally | Shared/public infrastructure |
| Connection | Ethernet, Wi‑Fi | Fiber, satellite, leased lines |
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