Word of the Day: local area network (LAN)

Word of the Day Daily updates on the latest technology terms | July 24, 2019 local area network (LAN) A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and peripheral devices that share a common communications line or wireless link to a server within a distinct geographic area. A local area network may serve as few as two or three users in a home-office or several hundred users in a corporation's central office. Homeowners and information technology (IT) administrators set up LANs so that network nodes can share resources such as printers or network storage. LAN networking requires cables, switches, routers and other components that let users connect to internal servers, websites and other LANs that belong to the same wide area network (WAN). Ethernet and Wi-Fi are the two primary ways to enable LAN connections. Ethernet is a specification that enables computers to communicate with each other. Wi-Fi uses radio waves to connect computers to the LAN. Setting up a small local area network Operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X have networking capabilities incorporated into them. This means that as long as the network administrator has a relatively up-to-date laptop or desktop PC, it is fairly straightforward to network machines together. To set up a wireless network, the administrator will need a wireless router linked to a broadband connection and an Ethernet cable that links the router to the main PC or server. This will then allow other computing devices which already have wireless networking equipment integrated or attached to them, to pick up wireless signals and join the local area network. LAN security Once the basic network has been set up, it must be secured. This can be done through security settings in the router, the use of strong passwords and frequent software updates. Hardware-based security such as fingerprint recognition, security tokens and full disk encryption can also be used to enhance network security. Additional security software for protecting and maintaining the network perimeter can be installed locally or purchased through a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery model. Quote of the Day "Within every organization, the local area network (LAN) almost always has better performance than the WAN. The reasons for this are simple: A LAN has a much smaller geographic footprint and the network components and cabling can be upgraded for far less money." - Andrew Froehlich Trending Terms WAN Token Ring FDDI ARCNET virtual LAN wireless LAN campus network Learning Center Network design checklist: How to design a local area network Read through this network design checklist for tips on how to design a local area network. The top considerations include Power over Ethernet availability, redundancy and network management tools. Network visibility challenges in modern networks End-to-end network visibility is essential but increasingly elusive thanks to advanced technologies combined with increased use of cloud. To cope with the issue, one must understand its nature. Read our expert's insights into what's making the network so hard to see now. Could open switches be a game-changer for your network? As your organization evaluates campus edge switching, consider whether open switches could radically change your networking environment. Learn the pros and cons of open networking edge switches and what criteria you should evaluate to make your final decision. The campus edge switch market evolves, offers new innovations Campus edge switching has evolved, with open networking competing with traditional switching for market share. Learn how technology developments are affecting edge switch deployments. Local area network design gets boost from SDN True full-featured SDN in the LAN may not be possible yet, but learn how networking pros have improved LAN design with 'SDN-lite' functions that enable centralized automation of policies. Quiz Yourself There are a number of methods you can use to capture VoIP calls ___ a LAN. a. off b. off of Answer Stay in Touch For feedback about any of our definitions or to suggest a new definition, please contact me at: mrouse@techtarget.com Visit the Word of the Day Archives and catch up on what you've missed! FOLLOW US About This E-Newsletter This e-newsletter is published by the TechTarget network. To unsubscribe from Whatis.com, click here. Please note, this will not affect any other subscriptions you have signed up for. TechTarget, Whatis, 275 Grove Street, Newton, MA 02466. Contact: webmaster@techtarget.com Copyright 2018 TechTarget. All rights reserved.