N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 7 - LAN, WAN, VPN, WLAN, MAN, FDDI and Optical MANS                                                       Slide 4 of 45 _________________                                                                                  __________

                                                        LAN Types            

                                                      Wire-Line

                                                   Wireless

_________________                                                                                  __________

The basic technology for LANs has been available since the early 1970s. Until recently most LANs were limited to the physical, hard-wired infrastructure of the building - Wired-LANs. Wireless-LANs technology is fairly new. The major motivation and benefit from Wireless LANs is mobility.

Wire-Line LANs:
The Wire-Line LANs dominate the market. These LANs support high speeds.

Wireless LANS:
The wireless-LANs are new in the business environment. Network users can move about without restriction and access LAN within its boundary.

Wireless-LANs offer unlimited applications: medical professionals can access patient records at his/her bedside without referring to paper charts, factory floor workers can access part and process specifications and an engineer can monitor manufacturing equipment remotely.