LANs and WANs

Local Area Network (LAN)

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a network that is confined to a limited geographical location, such as a school, home, or office.
LANs are typically owned, controlled, and managed by a single organisation or individual.
Devices that can be connected to a LAN include computers, printers, and servers.
Data transfer speeds on a LAN are generally high.
LANs can be connected using wired technology like Ethernet cables, or wirelessly through Wi-Fi.
The main protocols used in a LAN are Ethernet and Wi-Fi.
With LANs, security and data collisions are easier to manage due to the network’s confined size.
Network traffic can be a challenge due to frequency of data requests and transfer.

Wide Area Network (WAN)

A Wide Area Network (WAN) is a network that spans a large geographical area, such as a city, country, or even globally.
WANs generally connect multiple LANs.
WANs are typically not owned by any single organisation, but by service providers.
WANs use technology like fibre optic cables, satellite communications, and telephone lines to connect different areas.
The Internet is the most widely known and used WAN.
The protocols commonly used for WANs include TCP/IP and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol).
Security management is more complex for WANs due to their large scale.
WANs typically have lower data transfer speeds compared to LANs.
Maintaining a WAN can be costly and require complex infrastructure due to its size and scale.