Business Data Communications and Networking, Eleventh Edition

CHAPTER 6

WIRED AND WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORKS

THE PRECEDING chapters provided a fundamental understanding of the five basic layers in a typical network. This chapter draws together these concepts to describe how wired and wireless LANs work. We first summarize the major components of LANs and then describe the two most commonly used LAN technologies: wired and wireless Ethernet. The chapter ends with a discussion of how to design LANs and how to improve LAN performance. In this chapter, we focus only on the basics of LANs; the next chapter describes how LANs and BNs are used together.

OBJECTIVES

• Be aware of the roles of LANs in organizations
• Understand the major components of LANs
• Understand wired Ethernet LANs
• Understand wireless Ethernet LANs
• Understand the best practice recommendations for LAN design
• Be familiar with how to improve LAN performance

CHAPTER OUTLINE

6.1 INTRODUCTION

6.1.1 Why Use a LAN?

6.1.2 Dedicated-Server versus Peer-to-Peer LANs

6.2 LAN COMPONENTS

6.2.1 Network Interface Cards

6.2.2 Network Circuits

6.2.3 Network Hubs, Switches, and Access Points

6.2.4 Network Operating Systems

6.3 WIRED ETHERNET

6.3.1 Topology

6.3.2 Media Access Control

6.3.3 Types of ...