Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) are two types of networks that serve different purposes and cover different geographical areas.

Local Area Network (LAN)

A LAN is a network that connects devices within a limited area such as a home, office, or school. It is privately owned and managed, providing high-speed data transfer and low propagation delay. LANs are ideal for real-time data transfer, file sharing, and gaming, where high bandwidth and low latency are crucial¹.

Key Characteristics of LAN:

• Ownership: Private

• Speed: High (more than WAN)

• Propagation Delay: Short

• Congestion: Less

• Fault Tolerance: High

• Design and Maintenance: Easy

• Coverage Area: Small (within a building)

• Transmission Medium: Co-axial or UTP cable

• Data Transfer Rate: Higher (10 Mbps)

• Cost: Cheaper compared to WAN¹²

Wide Area Network (WAN)