LANs
A LAN is a data network that is restricted to a single geographical location and typically encompasses a relatively small area such as an office building or school. The function of the LAN is to interconnect workstation computers for the purposes of sharing files and resources. Because of its localized nature, the LAN is typically high speed and cheaper to set up than a WAN. Figure 1.1 shows an example of a LAN.
Figure 1.1. Local area network.