|
Eagle Networks understands LANs and
WANs. From design and implementation to advanced troubleshooting
and repair, count on us to serve your LAN/WAN needs.
A LAN (Local Area Network) is a network
covering a small geographic area, like a home, office, or building.
Current LANs are most likely to be based on Ethernet technology. For
example, a library may have a wired or wireless LAN for users to
interconnect local devices (e.g., printers and servers) and to connect
to the Internet. On a wired LAN, PCs in the library are typically
connected by category 5 (Cat5) cable, running the IEEE 802.3 protocol
through a system of interconnected devices and eventually connect to the
Internet. The cables to the servers are typically on Cat 5e enhanced
cable, which will support IEEE 802.3 at 1 Gbit/s.
Although switched Ethernet is now the
most common data link layer protocol and IP as a network layer protocol,
many different options have been used, and some continue to be popular
in niche areas. Smaller LANs generally consist of one or more switches
linked to each other—often with one connected to a router, cable modem,
or DSL modem for Internet access.
Larger LANs are characterized by their
use of redundant links with switches using the spanning tree protocol to
prevent loops, their ability to manage differing traffic types via
quality of service (QoS), and to segregate traffic via VLANs. Larger
LANS also contain a wide variety of network devices such as switches,
firewalls, routers, load balancers, sensors and so on.
LANs may have connections with other
LANs via leased lines, leased services, or by 'tunneling' across the
Internet using VPN technologies. Depending on how the connections are
made and secured, and the distance involved, they become a Wide Area
Network (WAN), or a part of the Internet.
Download Whitepapers and
Datasheets |
