What is the main difference between a standalone computer and a computer networked via a LAN?

Answer 1

In general, desktop PC is to meet personal (mostly gaming and Home Theater purpose) usage while workstation is definitely for work. Sometimes workstation is designed only to perform 1 function (stock trader workstations don't have CD drives, speakers, or usb ports....only keyboard/mouse/monitor).

Remember though, people sometimes call the same configuration computer at home as "PC" while the one at work is labeled as "workstation"!

Answer 2

Interesting question. I would say the one advantage is the computer is not reliant on other computers (servers etc.) for running applications. In a networked environment (client server model) the workstations are reliant on the server(s) for data, email, printing and other resources. This question may address the growth of "cloud computing". In the cloud computing model many applications that were server reliant are on the web. In this computer network model all you need is a stand alone computer and access to the internet. All applications either run locally or on a web server. So the advantage to this configuration would be greater access to data and less cost for server maintenance and investment. Since the programs you need for business or home (email, phones, data backup, database, CRM, file access) would be stored on a high end server in a data center. Many businesses are moving to the model for cost savings and reliability. Caution: the down side is what happens if your provider goes out of business, is bought or is hacked. Your data is not local so you could lose data. If you business is looking into this model - consult with your IT consultant about disaster planning. He/she should be able to setup a data backup plan so critical data like client info, finance, HR, product/service 'provisioning' are also stored locally in case of a 911 or other unlikely but possible data access issues. I hope this helps Thad Cummins http:\\www.rkmtec.com

Answer 3

A standalone computer has all the hardware and software needed to work by itself. It is the computer you brought home from the computer store or set up in your office that is running a version of Microsoft Windows or Linux or Unix. It can also be a mainframe computer, a midlevel proprietary computer such as a unix, linux, OpenVMS or IBM I. It is also the computer running in your refrigerator, air conditioner, washing machine, tablet or phone.

A networked computer is a computer or any of the computer devices attached to a network. It could be using LAN, WAN, Bluetooth, cabled, wireless, TCP/IP. Lan Manager, Netware, Netbios or a combination of them. Just two computers connected with a cable such as USB or RS232 can be a networked together if their is software to allow the computers to communicate (talk to each other), exchange data, and/or share data.

A non standalone computer is a computer that does not have everything it need to run by itself examples are:

• A headless computer, has no monitor/keyboard/mouse. With software and a connection to another computer, it can be managed remotely from another computers keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Even non headless machines can be controlled with free software such as VNC.
• A diskless computer (no hard drive) has no programs, files, data or even a system from which to boot. Such a machine is able to boot from a remote machine which sends it system programs to get it started. The diskless computer will use part of the remote system as if it were its hard drive so it can run programs and read and write things.

For a non standalone computer to work, it needs to be part of a network computer system. A network computer system can have all standalone computers or it can also have the other machine which rely on the standalone machines to function properly, We refer to this as a client-server configuration. A machine acts as a client needing services (such as monitor/keyboard mouse, or needing disk space support) another machine acts as a server, offering the services to one or more client computers.

Modern client-server models are also used with fully functional standalone computers. They act as clients for retrieving and running some programs and for accessing data. Another computer or computers on the network act as program servers and database servers.

Answer 4

Not many; in general, the advantages of being networked far outweigh the risks, and that's why computers are usually connected nowadays.Advantages of being standalone include a reduced risk of getting infected by malware, as well as privacy.

Answer 5

A standalone PC is exactly that: alone, and not in a network.

A networked PC is connected to other pcs in a network.

Answer 6

A standalone computer is not connected to any other computer and the networked computer is connected to other computers via a Local Area Network.