What are local networks - LANs and how do they work?

At the moment, ours computer they are essential tools for sectors such as education and business (just to name a few). We want to keep our teams interconnected to share resources, but do you know what local area networks are - LANs and how do they work?

This article invites you to discover the structure of these popular networks that have been very useful in offices around the world. You will know what the LAN consists of and how it works in the IT world.




On the other hand, it is learning more about networking on a general level, we recommend that you know what wireless technology is and what it is for. Without further ado we continue with the local networks.

What are local networks - LANs and how do they work?

In order for our computers to be interconnected in a network, it is necessary to establish a topology appropriate to our needs and the environment. A local network it usually allows the connection between equipment and peripherals in a limited space of up to two hundred meters and is often used in commercial buildings and offices.

These types of networks are very different from mobile networks and the like. To fully understand these differences, we recommend that you know what mobile networks are and their types.

Next, we will explain what the local networks and how they work so that you can understand their usefulness in society.

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What are local networks? - LAN

To better understand the information provided below, it is important that you know which are the main network services and which are the main network services, which will undoubtedly help you better understand how networks work in general.



Local networks, also called LAN (Local Area Network), are a set of equipment and computer devices interconnected to establish a common type of communication via a wireless link with the server. The server is a computer responsible for management of peripherals and information storage.


Local area networks are widely used in homes, offices and businesses. Each LAN will allow interconnection between two or more computers in order to share resources or store information on the network.

It is worth mentioning that local networks use cavi, router, switch and other elements to be able to connect to the server. The connection can also extend to websites and other local networks. This means that the LAN can be configured for a few users or for hundreds of them.

Typically, the server manages all applications that are used on the network; that means; clients access services and resources through applications running on the LAN server. Clients can share files over the network, but read and write access will depend on a administrator.

How do local networks work? –LAN

To create a LAN connection It is used un ethernet cable. The cable is still used because this guarantees greater stability with respect to any interference that may be produced by physical signals that obstruct the network.

Previously, local networks used technologies including Token ring, DECNET, ARNET, and FDDI. While DECNET and Token Ring have been replaced by Ethernet, ARNET and FDDI continue to be active in some sectors such as industry.


One of the attributes of Ethernet is that it achieves transfer rates of up to hundreds of Gigabytes per second. Today this useful technology makes use of fiber optic cables with a long range of several kilometers. However, some LANs are still implemented with copper cables that have an extension of up to one hundred meters.



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It is the home and work network

Any Ethernet-based LAN can be divided into Physical and virtual LANs. This feature allows the subdivision of the networks without the need to modify the infrastructure where they were built.



Speaking of environments, when the LAN is installed in the house, the devices they are directly connected. This process is called Peer to Peer Network or P2P. In other environments such as the corporate sector, for example, it is common for a connection to be established as a client - server or client - server model.


Sure enough, local networks are your home and work networks, but you want to learn more about the internet. Remember that you can always find out what Internet Providers (ISPs) are and what they are for, something essential in our interconnected world today.


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