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Local Areas Networks (LAN) ExplainedA local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a local area, like a home, office, or group of buildings. Current LANs are most likely to be based on switched IEEE 802.3 Ethernet running at 10, 100 or 1,000 Mbit/s or on Wi-Fi technology . The defining characteristics of LANs in contrast to WANs (wide area networks) are: their much higher data rates, smaller geographic range, and that they do not require leased telecommunication lines. Although switched Ethernet is now most common at the physical and data link layers, and TCP/IP as a protocol, historically many different options have been used (see below), and some continue to be popular in niche areas. Larger LANs may have redundant links, and routers or switches capable of using spanning tree protocol and similar techniques to recover from failed links. LANs may have connections to other LANs via routers and leased lines to create a WAN (Wide Area Network). Most will also have connections to the large public network known as the Internet, and links to other LANs can be 'tunneled' across this using VPN technologies.
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