The History Of The Wired Lan Technology

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

1.0 Introduction

According to Denis, 2003, a local area network (LAN) is the combination of two or more computers attached mutually in a building or home which is using software and hardware. This is compared to a large region of network (WAN) such as internet, which is covering a big capacity of an area. In addition, there are main desktop computers or servers and remote computers called users in LAN. The computers in office or home can share files, resources and if needed, internet connection if being created the type of network in home or office. LAN network can be classified in two types which is wired or wireless. Wired LAN needs network Ethernet cable to connect to all the computers or laptops on the network to the central appliance called a switch physically. Whereby, wireless type applies radio waves to communicate, reduced the need for wires and the hardware that is used in the network can be either wireless or wired type. LAN network is easy to setup where all the Microsoft operating systems in view of the fact that Windows 98 special edition (SE) have already integrated build-in networking software. Each computer need a network interface card (NIC) and also a switch to differ external modem and directs the information on the network. A router is required to access the internet if the LAN need to respond to another network which is now has fixed switch and router in the wireless or wired designations. Desktop computers and laptops usually use internal NIC which is tripped into an available slot on the systemboard. Each NIC should have Ethernet port to connect to an Ethernet cable if the LAN had to be hard wired. Whereby, in wireless LAN, it may have a small radio wave antenna which is the server hard-wired to the DSL modem, router or switch; so that it can be communicate wireless if the users want. Meanwhile, administrator would authorize which files and programs would be shared on the network. In addition, certain areas of the server may keep at the back of firewall to prevent access from users. Administrator will be monitoring all the traffic on network, includes email, internet surfing and any other activities by using different tools. LAN in the office has the advantages which are called manifold as an example the user having a central printer; it can avoid the business output by buying individual printers for every workstation. The workflow of the business enhanced would be easier than eternally to be controlled and administer. It is also can be improved by flexibility and creativity. A LAN at office is enormously convenient as the user can share programs, digital projects, images and also most of the things necessary in office which can save the user’s time. To install the hard wired LAN is the difficult part, as it needs to run a physical Ethernet cable from each user to DSL, router or switch. However, this type is dependable and protected. Moreover, wireless LAN is easy to be installed and its less expensive, but it needs many steps in the software setup to make sure it is protected and also it may slower than a wired LAN as it depends on the wireless standard used which the standards efficiently compete with Ethernet speeds.

2.0 Wired LAN technology

According to K, Shoaib, 2006, in wired Ethernet network, every desktop computer should be affixed to another desktop computers or a main appliance using Ethernet cables. Meanwhile, in setting up network possible of tiresome, as the large amount of wires are required, particularly when the desktop computers are placed in different areas. As the cables need to be wired according to the terms and conditions, supports on variables such as mix of devices, modems and network connection type. Ad hoc or infrastructure type possibly set up on a wireless network, where as the previous let the communication in peer to peer mode and the final let the devices to converse with a main node. Each and every of the devices must be fixed with the built in Wi-Fi cards or wireless network adapter to converse with wireless router in order to access the network. Below is how the wired LAN is connected. Moreover there are 3 basic types of network topologies which have been used commonly in companies nowadays. Firstly is star network, it is a general more one-dimensional type of topology. It has one centre hub which is connected to many computers and the capability to network printers. This type of star network can be used for small business companies. It is very helpful for many applications where by some processing should be centralized and some of it should be carry out locally. But there are some disadvantage of star network, one of it is its vulnerability. The data’s should go through the central host computer and its host stops working; the entire network will stop working. Below is the star network diagram:http://homepages.uel.ac.uk/u0306091/Networ10.jpg

Second network topology is the bus network got no central computer and all the computers are connected to a single circuit. This type of network topology transmits signals in all the routes and it is using unique software to discover which computer gets what signal. In this network topology do have disadvantage too as one of it is that only one signal can be sent at a time, if two signals are sent at the same particular time, they will have a collision and the signal will not succeed to arrive at its destination. The advantage of it is if one of the particular computers goes down, it will not have an effect on other computers and it still will be able to send messages to one another. (Laudon) Below is the single circuit network computers diagram: http://www.adbh.co.uk/thd204/images/2fig30.gif

The third type of basic network topology is the ring network. It is quite same with bus network, as the ring network will not rely on the central host computer. Every computer in the network can correspond with any other computer and every computer routes its individual applications independently. The ring network outlines a closed loop and data is sent in one way only and if the computer in the network fails, the information is still capable to be transmitted. Below is the ring network diagram: http://www.adbh.co.uk/thd204/images/2fig29.gif

2.1 Implementation of Wired LAN

The implementations of wired networks are normally having better-quality in terms of performance and speed. Long-established Ethernet connections present only 10Mbps bandwidth, but 100Mbps speedy Ethernet technology charges slightly more and readily obtainable. Even though 100Mbps correspond to a theoretical utmost performance never really accomplished in practice, fast Ethernet be supposed to be sufficient for office file sharing, programming and high speed internet access for many years in the future. Therefore, wired LANs make the most of hubs can suffer a bad performance slowdown if the desktop computers deeply consume the network at the same time. If we do use switches as a replacement for hubs, it would avoid from this problem but a switch costs a little more than a hub.