INTRODUCTION
What a Local Area Network is and why your business needs a properly designed one.
What a Local Area Network is and why your business needs a properly designed one.
A Local Area Network (LAN) is an interconnected grouping of
computers, printers, servers, storage, switches and routers at a
particular physical location. The smallest LANs can have only two
computers, while a large LAN can accommodate many hundreds of PCs,
laptops, IP phones, and printers.
Larger LANs are usually divided into logical groups by having them
on different IP networks or incorporating virtual LANs
to separate user traffic, increase performance and improve network
responsiveness. For a company with multiple locations, a LAN is
just one segment of their networking solution. A company with multiple
sites or locations would have a Local Area Network at each location,
with the separate segments being interconnected to each other and the
Internet creating a Wide Area Network (WAN).
Most local area networks start out with relatively inexpensive
hardware such as Ethernet cables, network and wireless network
adapters, small (4-5 port) hubs, wireless routers, and an Internet/WAN
gateway. As the number of users and the bandwidth requirements of a
network grow, companies with no on-site networking personnel or support
simply daisy-chain more hubs or 4-5 port low cost routers from various
vendors to expand their network
Networks expanded in the ad-hoc manner described above, can
be quickly overwhelmed by one problematic network card, heavy transfers
between users and servers, or a compromised/infected machine. If all
equipment worked as advertised, companies would not see their networks
slow down with as little as 5-10 users.