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LANs WANs AND NET
LANs
(Local Area Networks)
A network is any collection of independent computers that communicate
with one another over a shared network medium. LANs are networks usually
confined to a geographic area, such as a single building or a college
campus.
LANs can be small, linking as few as three computers, but
often link hundreds of computers used by thousands of people. The
development of standard networking protocols and media has resulted in
worldwide proliferation of LANs throughout business and educational
organizations.
WANs (Wide
Area Networks)
Often a network is located in multiple physical places. Wide area
networking combines multiple LANs that are geographically separate. This
is accomplished by connecting the different LANs using services such as
dedicated leased phone lines, dial-up phone lines (both synchronous and
asynchronous), satellite links, and data packet carrier services.
Wide area networking can be as simple as a modem and remote access server
for employees to dial into, or it can be as complex as hundreds of branch
offices globally linked using special routing protocols and filters to
minimize the expense of sending data sent over vast distances.
Internet
The Internet is a system of linked networks that are worldwide in
scope and facilitate data communication services such as remote login,
file transfer, electronic mail, the World Wide Web and newsgroups.
With the meteoric rise in demand for connectivity, the
Internet has become a communications highway for millions of users.
The Internet was initially restricted to military and academic
institutions, but now it is a full-fledged conduit for any and all forms
of information and commerce. Internet websites now provide personal,
educational, political and economic resources to every corner of the
planet.
Intranet
With the advancements made in browser-based software for the Internet,
many private organizations are implementing intranets. An intranet is a
private network utilizing Internet-type tools, but available only within
that organization. For large organizations, an intranet provides an easy
access mode to corporate information for employees.
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