What is the main function of the LAN?

Answer 1

It is useful for sharing and networking for local computers.

Answer 2

The purpose of Local Area Network (LAN) components is to allow two or more computers to form a network of computers. The primary component of a LAN is the Network Interface Card and its associated port, the Ethernet port. Some machines can have two or more NICs allowing them to connect to two or more machines. Although separate, they can be bridged to form a seamless network. This allows one computer to connect to two or more computers at the same time, forming a daisy-chain network. However, all data passing over the network is broadcast to all computers on the network. Each machine has its own unique IP address on the network and uses this to direct data to a specific machine. Each machine therefore filters out the data specifically intended for it, passing all other data along the network.

Networks with two or more computers typically employ a separate component, known as a hub. With a hub, each computer only requires one NIC each and all computers connect directly to the hub (which can be likened to the spokes of wheel -- hence the term hub). As with daisy-chains, all data is broadcast and the computers decide what is intended for them and what can be ignored. Although hubs can send and receive data, they cannot do both at the same time.

A switch is a more complex form of hub. This is a bit more intelligent in that it remembers the IP address of all connections and can direct data to a specific machine, rather than broadcast to all machines. It can also send and receive at the same time and is therefore much faster than a hub. It is also more expensive.

Of course, having a LAN is one thing. Being able to communicate outwith the LAN is quite another. For instance, wireless connections to the LAN are not possible, nor is it possible to connect to the internet without some means of sharing the access point (whether it be ADSL or cable). To resolve these problems, we use another component known as a router, which has a built-in switch. Wireless routers allow both wired and wireless communications to be combined into the LAN and can also provide an access point to an external network, including the Internet. They act as a gateway between the separate networks, routing traffic back and forth to give the illusion the two networks are seamlessly connected. They aren't, of course; only the router is visible to the Internet, your LAN remains completely private. Routers are actually small, single-purpose computers that can be configured to route traffic or block traffic as you see fit, thus they act as a hardware firewall between the public and private networks. Personal, software firewalls are still required, however, as the hardware firewall protects the network as a whole, while the software firewalls protect the individual machines upon the network.

Answer 3

LAN = Local Area Network. The purpose being to allow users to connect their computers to a common server or servers. Servers are just central computers to a network. Servers contain data that could be of varying types. There'd data that are numbers for example accounting data an accounting department needs to share with other people in the accounting department. Or it could be photos that a marketing department shares with other people in the marketing department when working on a marketing project. Or it could be sound data that would also be used by the marketing department on a project involving the use of sound. Or it could be simply words/documents that people need to share amongst managers of the company. The LAN allows everyone to work on the same document and with the right software/programs everyone can see the results in real time. That is perhaps one of the most powerful aspects of a centralized server that everyone is accessing at the same time from their computers at their desks or even from their home. Yes accessing a LAN from home is possible too. Accessing a LAN is possible these days from nearly anywhere a person can get a cell phone signal since there are now cards that you can insert into your computer and access the internet which might also have the LAN connected to it. So even though the title is LAN it isn't necessarily all that Local. I think you get the idea now of the purpose of a LAN. The safety aspect is great for a LAN also as the Network Manager is usually in charge of backing up all the data. This assures that all the work that everyone does won't be lost should the server crash or get hacked or some other disaster occur. That is why good Network Managers store the company data in a safety deposit box on a daily basis.

Answer 4

The purpose of a LAN is for the computers to communicate amongst themselves. You can use it for sharing data, printers, a CD (if some computers don't have a CD, you can copy files from a CD on another computer) an Internet connection, etc.

Answer 5

1...you can share/sharing all resources within of lan connected systems

Answer 6

It is useful for sharing and networking for local computers.

Answer 7

The main function of the LAN (local area network) is to allow one PC to be used as a server to other computers.

Answer 8

is to allow one PC to be used as a server to other computers.

Answer 9

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