Why do you need a local area network?

A local area network (LAN) provides connectivity between computers within a small geographic area (typically no larger than a building). Other types of networks include:

- Campus Network (connects a number of buildings together)

- Metropolitan Area Network (connects computers around a large city size area)

- Wide Area Network (connects computers from around the world)

Generally speaking the larger the area covered, the slower the network. Although there are some links within the internet that are significantly faster than an average small home network would provide.

Most companies deploy LAN networks to connect up employee's computers so that they can reach corporate email servers and applications.

Most home users deploy LAN network to share files (e.g. photos, music) between their computers and to share a single Internet connection between multiple computers.