Key Points: LANs

LANs or Local Area Network play a pivotal role in connecting data communication devices within a limited geographical area, facilitating high$-$speed data transfer.

$1.$ LAN Usage $($Section $5-1)$:

LANs support various activities, such as Internet access, file sharing, print and email services, process control, and distributed processing.

These networks are extensively utilized across commercial, academic, and manufacturing environments, linking a diverse range of devices.

The scope of LANs can vary, spanning from single rooms to multiple rooms, floors, or buildings.

Over time, LANs have seen a significant increase in data transfer rates, evolving from millions to billions of bits per second.

$2.$ Evolution of LAN Technologies $($Section $5-2)$:

The structure of LANs, defined by their topology, influences communication rules and protocols.

$3.$ Switches $($Section $5-3)$:

Switches offer efficiency compared to hubs by directing frames based on addresses, thereby reducing overall network traffic.

Collisions are minimized as collision domains are segmented, leading to increased bandwidth for each workstation.

Full$-$duplex connections allow simultaneous data transmission and reception, enhancing operational efficiency.

Switches employ addressing to effectively manage and reduce network traffic.

$4.$ Wired LANs $($Section $5-4)$:

Ethernet, as the inaugural commercially available LAN system, continues to be the predominant wired LAN system.

The spectrum of Ethernet standards $(802\mathrm{.}3)$ encompasses variations in transmission speed, cable type, and maximum segment length.

$5.$ Wireless LANs $($Section $5-5)$:

Wireless LANs amalgamate wireless and wired technologies, connecting devices to access points.

The advantages of wireless LANs include flexibility, particularly in environments where cabling is impractical, such as warehouses or historic buildings.

Wireless LANs often adopt a star topology as devices radiate around and transmit data to access points.

The absence of physical cabling makes wireless LANs suitable for mobile users and diverse environmental settings.

These salient features offer a succinct synopsis of LANs, their development, the role of switches, wired LAN specifications, and the advantages of wireless LANs.