Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) have much in common, but the differences are enough to make them two separate acronyms in speech and in practice. Each one has its benefits and downsides, and these advantages and disadvantages can affect an organization’s productivity significantly. Give us a call today to discuss how each can be optimized for your organization. So what exactly is the difference between a LAN connection and a WAN connection?

• LAN Advantages:. Workstations can share peripheral devices like printers. This is cheaper than buying a printer for every workstations. Workstations do not necessarily need their own hard disk or CD-ROM drives which make them cheaper to buy t.
• Hierarchical Topology. The hierarchical topology is also known as tree topology, which is divided.
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethernet: As it is being LAN technology, speed, durability, maintenance cost, and data transfer quality are the major parameters to make the decision. Advantages of Ethernet: To form an Ethernet, we do not need much cost. It is relatively inexpensive. It is costless as compare to other systems of connecting.

Personal area network (PAN) is an interconnection between different devices like smartphone, tablet, computer and other digital devices. PAN is used for a personal purpose like data sharing among devices and it has a range of 10 meters. Some type of personal area networks is wired like USB while others are wireless like Bluetooth. Wireless personal area network is also known as WPAN.

Local Area Networks (LANs)

LAN connections can only operate in a local area which is usually not any bigger then a house, or a floor in an office building. Typically a LAN will consist of only a handful of clients, but can have upwards of a hundred.

One of the major advantages with LANs are the speeds they can reach. With a LAN, it isn’t uncommon to see technology ready for 1Gbps (1 gigabit per second). Example: If you were to download all 3 816 000 English articles off of Wikipedia it would take just over 13 hours to do so, where as a WAN would take 16 days to do the same. A LAN can operate up to 30x faster then a WAN

Another advantage to having a LAN connection is the cost. It is relatively cheap to have as it tends to require less hassle to set up and less advanced infrastructure to keep it running. This is mainly due to the technological components of a LAN, which brings me to the next difference.

A LAN connection tends to require some relatively simple things to set it up. All you need is some Ethernet cables, a network switch, and you are good to go. Alternatively, you can also see LANs being done over Wi-Fi, or you can use Wi-Fi in conjunction with standard Ethernet connections to create a LAN available to all kinds of devices, whether it be a smartphone or a desktop computer.

The major disadvantage with a LAN is inherent in its name. “Local” Area Networks are only good as far as you can reach an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi signal. Simply put, you cannot buy an Ethernet cable that will reach throughout an entire building, and a Wi-Fi connection rapidly deteiorates as you get further then a few dozen meters away.

Wide Area Networks (WANs)

A WAN connection should truly only occur in large environments. WAN connections are available from house to house, city to city, and country to country. In fact, just by reading this you know you have access to a very popular WAN, the Internet. But what separates a WAN like the internet from a LAN?

Due to it's typically massive size, WAN's are almost always slower then a LAN. The further the distance, the slower the network.

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One of the big disadvantages to having a WAN is the cost it can incur. Having a private WAN can be expensive. The reason that WANs cost a lot tends to be because of the technology required to connect two remote places, which brings me to the explanation of the technology behind a WAN.

A WAN connection is generally harder to set up, and there are many creative ways to do so. One very common way is renting a line from an internet service provider and using their network (that’s already connecting the nation and the world) and connecting your point A and B. Another way to do a WAN is connecting the devices with various wireless technologies, like cellphone towers or satellites. As you can imagine, all these are much harder to create than setting up a LAN and almost always demand high level professional setup and maintenance.

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Advanced networks can have LANs within LANs, LANs within WANs, WANs within WANs, and those can have their own sub networks, and those their own, and those their own. Let the professionals at Packetworks take over your next Networking project, to ensure it is down efficiently and effectively. A fast network allows for rapid transit of information, which leads to increased productivity, and increased customer satisfaction.

It is always a trending topic of WiFi Vs Ethernet (wired) connection and which is the better among the both. We all know that a wireless network provides flexibility and convenience over your multiple devices, but it too faces interference, connection lagging, and sometimes breach in security. On the other hand, for the office or home computer or devices, a wired connection gives a secured, reliable, faster, and constant internet connection. Today, we will see the advantages as well as disadvantages of wired networks.

What is a wired network?

A wired network is that in which you use a high-speedEthernet cable to connect your router and the device on which you are going to use the internet connection. If you are using a small network, then one router is enough to attach your multiple devices, but if you are planning to make a large network, then you need multiple routers or switches to connect different devices. All they are connected through wired technology (Ethernet Cables).

Advantages of a wired network

Though it depends on the number of devices you on which you will be using the internet and the connection speed you want, the wired network has many significant advantages over the wireless network. Check them below.

• A wired Ethernet connection is easy to setup. Just plug in, and you are ready to use the internet. A variety of Ethernet cables is available today. You can choose as per your needs and budget.
• It provides reliable connection and does not face any interference as a wireless network does.
• The most beneficial advantage of a wired network is that it provides constant and faster speed than a wireless connection because it provides one-to-one connection.
• You do not have to worry about the security breach in your network if you are using the wired technology.
• It is perfect for small network connections at office or home which include a router and several desktop PCs and other devices.

Disadvantages of wired network

As a technology have pros, it comes with some cons too. With the faster speed, reliable connection and extreme level of security, the wired networks also come with some unwanted and uncomfortable things which we can say the disadvantages of it. Check them below.

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• If you are using mobile devices like smartphones, laptops, etc., then the wired network is not convenient to use. Ethernet network has physical limitations to reach all the areas of your home or office.
• One Ethernet cable can provide a connection output to only one PC or device unlike to a wireless network which allows you to connect multiple devices to the single router.
• Another constraint of the wired technology is that the cables can be damaged easily and at the time. So you need to be careful while arranging them and protect them from the cuts caused by doors, windows or other obstacles.
• More wires mean more mess. If you are going to use many devices for the internet access and you plan to get the Ethernet network for that, then you have to mess with the wires. If you do not manage the cable network properly, then it will be difficult to find which wire is going into which device and also such network takes space to establish a network connection.
• If you plan to expand your network, then it can become costly and can take significant amount of time to establish the network. As you will need more router or switches and Ethernet cables to expand, you may need to rewire all the devices.

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When you are using the technology for your home, then it does not matter too much to select the network type i.e. wired or wireless as most of the home users use the internet for routine tasks. But, if you look it from a business perspective, then it is important to take into account all the possibilities and comparison of Ethernet Vs WiFi network technology and then choose the most suitable for you.