CommunicationsIntroductionLocal areanetworks(LAN)Computers can communicate electronically with other computers via a localarea network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). When individualworkstations interconnect and have access to each others information ardorresources, it is called a network. These networks consist of nodes, thehardware, and are interconnected by links, the communications media oftwisted-pair wire, coaxial cable, or fiber-optic cable.Workstations that use a local area network (LAN) are usually in closeproximity to each other, often in the same building. A LAN can transferdata, files, and programs from one PC to another or even from one LAN toanother LAN.LANconfigurationsLAN configurations or topology is the physical arrangement of the LANcomponents. The three common configurations are the star, the bus, and thering network. In the star configuration, each component connects directly toa central computer or network server. In the bus configuration, allworkstations connect to the same cable and the far ends of the cable nevermeet. In a ring network, all components connect to a cable and this cableforms a ring. Each configuration offers a compromise in advantages anddisadvantages. Your LAN configuration was probably already set up beforeyou arrived or tapped into it.LANcommunicationIt takes network software, communications software, and interfacing softwareto make a LAN network work correctly. Also, each workstation must have anetwork interface card (NIC).Wide areanetworks(WAN)Wide area networks cover a larger geographical area than a LAN system.Examples of a WAN would include the Internet, Bulletin Board Services(BBS), electronic mail (E-Mail), and the world wide web (WWW). You mayor may not have the opportunity to access any of these networks from yourworkstation in the graphics shop.3-38
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