How does a local area network differ from a wide area network?

Answer 1

A LAN (local area network) is a group of computers and network devices connected together, usually within the same building. By definition, the connections must be high speed and relatively inexpensive (e.g., token ring or Ethernet). Most Indiana University Bloomington departments are on LANs. For more, see What is a LAN (local area network)?

A LAN connection is a high-speed connection to a LAN. On the IUB campus, most connections are either Ethernet (10Mbps) or Fast Ethernet (100Mbps), and a few locations have Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps) connections.

A MAN (metropolitan area network) is a larger network that usually spans several buildings in the same city or town. The IUB network is an example of a MAN.

A WAN (wide area network), in comparison to a MAN, is not restricted to a geographical location, although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN connects several LANs, and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public. The technology is high speed and relatively expensive. The internet is an example of a worldwide public WAN.

A network contained within one building or site is called a Local Area Network (LAN). Anetwork that spans several sites across a city, country or even the world is called a Wide Area Network (WAN).

A Client/Server network may be a LAN or WAN, however a peer-to-peer network can only be a LAN.

The most famous and widely used Wide Area Network is the Internet which contains many thousands of servers and many millions of clients right across the world.