Network
When we talk about a network in general, we refer to when any two objects are able to communicate with each other using any means possible. Having this in mind, we will now talk about computer networks; in this type of network, two computers are connected in a way that they can share their hardware as well as software resources. Now, the way they connect to each other under different environmental setups depends on different configurations, which we will explore in the subsequent sections.
Local area networks
Local area networks are also referred to as LANs. This type of network is usually configured within a house or in an office, a school building, and so on. The devices are mostly interconnected with the help of a device called a router or a switch. Routers support both wired or wireless connections whereas switches only support connectivity via wired. The following diagram illustrates the architecture of a local area network:
Architecture of a local area network
