A local area network (LAN) connects devices in a limited local setting, such as a room, home, or office. In a simple wired LAN, each computer connects by Ethernet cable to a central switch. The switch lets those computers communicate locally; it does not, by itself, provide internet access.
What is a network?
A network is a group of connected devices that can exchange data. A LAN is a network serving a local area rather than connecting devices across the wider internet. The four-computer example here is a wired LAN: the computers are linked through Ethernet cables and a switch.
What equipment do you need for a basic wired LAN?
- Computers or other network devices: Each device needs a working Ethernet network port, either built in or provided by an adapter.
- An Ethernet switch: Choose one with enough ports for the devices you want to connect.
- Ethernet patch cables: Use one cable per device, connecting it to a switch port. Cisco lists Cat 5 and Cat 6 patch cables among the options for connecting end-user devices to switch ports; suitability depends on the equipment and installation, not a universal speed ranking between cable labels. See Cisco’s Ethernet auto-negotiation guidance.
How do you connect the computers?
- Place the switch where the computers can reach it with Ethernet cables.
- Connect one end of an Ethernet cable to each computer’s Ethernet port.
- Connect the other end of each cable to a separate port on the switch.
- Power on the switch if it requires external power, then check that the link indicators for connected devices come on. The precise indicators vary by switch.
The physical layout is straightforward: each computer has its own cable to the central switch. For four computers, that means four switch connections. No computer needs a direct cable to every other computer.
How does an Ethernet switch send data to the right device?
When a device sends data over Ethernet, the switch examines the destination MAC address in the Ethernet frame. It learns which MAC addresses are reachable through which ports, then uses that MAC address table to choose an outgoing port for a known destination. If the destination is not yet known, the switch floods the frame to other ports in the relevant VLAN so it can reach its destination. Cisco explains this Ethernet switch forwarding process.
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A MAC address is used for delivery on the local Ethernet network. This is distinct from the IP information used to route traffic between networks. For this beginner setup, the key point is that the switch uses the frame’s destination MAC address to forward local Ethernet traffic.
Does making a LAN give you internet access?
No. A switch connects devices on the local network, but a switch alone is not an internet connection. To reach the internet, the LAN needs an appropriate connection to an internet service, typically through a router or gateway connected to the provider’s equipment. The switch and internet connection solve different problems: one links devices locally; the other connects the local network to external networks.
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What happens after the wired setup?
This chapter’s example is specifically a wired LAN. A wireless LAN uses Wi-Fi access points or a wireless router to connect devices over radio rather than individual Ethernet cables. The basic idea remains: devices join a local network and can communicate through the network equipment, while internet access still depends on a separate connection beyond the LAN.
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