What is a local network?

What is a local area network (LAN) and how to use it?

 

A local network is a group of several devices that are interconnected over a network and are actually located on the same territory.

A local area network, or as it is also called - LAN (Local Area Network), forms a cable system of a separate building or a certain number of buildings, which is divided into structural subsystems and contains active network equipment.

A local network connection gives a well-coordinated work in a certain area, but you need to consider that with this connection option, the buildings should be located at a distance of no more than one kilometer from each other. In the event that devices are in different cities or even countries, they resort to building global networks (WAN) to combine them.

 

There are such types of LANs in the world:

 

- wired LAN, where the connection is due to the cable;

- wireless LAN;

- virtual local area networks.

 

Many are mistaken in thinking that LAN connection the Internet is only for commercial purposes, since today this technology is also relevant in residential buildings. This type of network connection is used when using gadgets, laptops and wireless printers.

 

What tasks do local networks solve?

 

Creating a lan network helps to solve many problems:

- quick access to data for each user;

- high-speed data transfer between multiple departments one organization;

- the ability to use files simultaneously on different devices;

- high-speed communication;

- comfortable use and access to different network devices;

- remote management of documents and software;

- security and reliable protection of important data of the organization.

 

The last point is important in the work, since the network often stores data and valuable information that can be at risk during attacks from competitors.

 

How to organize a local network on Windows?

 

Here we will show an example with a detailed setup of a local network for home use. You don't need to be a professional to create a lan network.

 

Step 1. Equipment selection

Before starting the setup, you need to select the appropriate network components for your computer: a switch (designed to connect several nodes of a computer network), a router (distributes the Internet between devices connected to it) or a wireless access point (devices communicate via Wi-Fi). It is important to note that these components can be combined if, in addition to setting up a local network, you also plan to connect to a global one.

 

Step 2. Configuring LAN through a switch and a router

Network setup via switch:

1. Click on “Start” on the desktop, and then go to the “Control Panel” and the “Network Control Center” will open in front of you.

2. On the left is the line “Change advanced sharing settings”. Make sure that such options as “Network discovery”, “File and printer sharing”, “Folder sharing” and other necessary options are checked there.

3. Repeat the previously performed manipulations on each of the devices that you plan to connect to the local network.

4. Next is setting up the network card. Go to "Network and Sharing Center" select "Local Area Connection".

5. On the pop-up window, select "Properties" and then click on the line "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP / IPv4)" and select "Properties" again. In the window that appears, click on the line “Use the following IP address”, where we indicate “IP for the host computer” - 192.168.0.1, and the subnet mask - 255.255.255.0.

6. We repeat the action on other devices, but it is worth replacing the last digit in the IP address after the dot with 2, 3, 4, etc.

 

Setting up a network through a router:

 

If the system uses a router, the process of setting up the "locale" is the same as for the switch. However, if you need to connect computers on a local network with Internet access, the instructions are not essential, but they change. Only the router is configured, and for all devices connected to the home network, an important item is indicated in the parameters of network cards - “Obtain IP addresses automatically”.

To configure the router you need:

1. Use any browser and enter the network address of the router in the search bar (it is written on the box, documentation or manufacturer's label).

2. After that, the browser will open a window asking you to enter your login and password, which are also written on the manufacturer's box.

3. If the above steps are completed successfully, all connected computers and laptops will be automatically connected via local network with the ability to access the Internet.

 

The number of computers that plan to connect usually comes from the number of outputs on the hub, which varies from 8 and up. Such a connection can be united by a single local network on all computers, and it is also important to take into account the significant advantage that allows you to be online independently of each other, even if one of them is “cut off” from the network.

In order for this type of connection using a hub to be possible, you will need a network cable, or as it is also called, a “twisted pair”, thanks to which all computers will be connected by a single network.

 

Step 3: Check the network settings

To check the correct operation, you will need:

1. Go to “Start” and in the search type cmd and press Enter.

2. In the pop-up window, enter the word ping and the address of the desired computer, separated by a space, for example, ping 192.168.0.3.

3. If the configuration is successful, a notification will appear about the successful exchange of packets and response time, and if the configuration is not entirely successful, a message will come up about the timeout for the request, which will confirm that the settings are not correct.

 

Summing up, we can once again emphasize that thanks to the local network - there is a uniform distribution of the information load between computers. It is important to remember that a LAN network allows you to create a unified network architecture with a guarantee of uninterrupted operation.