LANs, WANs, Peer-to-Peer Networks & Client-Server Networks

• What are the key qualities of a LAN?

  • Small geographical area
  • Owned by the user
• What are the key qualities of a WAN?

  • Large geographical area
  • Owned by the provider (not the user)
• Networks can be wired or wireless.
• What is an example of a WAN?

  • The internet
• There are two classifications of network:

  • local area networks (LANs)
  • wide area networks (WANs)
• What is a benefit of a peer-to-peer network over a client-server model?

  • No specialist knowledge or staff are required to run the network
  • Very easy to set up and maintain
  • Very cheap to set up because there is no expensive hardware to purchase
• What is a disadvantage of a peer-to-peer network?

  • Users will need to manage their own backups
  • Users will need to manage their own software updates
  • The network can be less secure
• What is an advantage of a client-server model?

  • Managing backups of the network is easier as it is done from one central point
  • Updating and installing new software can be done centrally instead of having to log on to each machine
  • Security of files can be managed easily
• What is a disadvantage of a client-server model?

  • A specialist network manager would be required as servers require specialist IT knowledge
  • Servers can be a single point of failure, meaning all users would lose access to the network if the server fails
  • Servers can be expensive to purchase, setup and maintain
• Why use a LAN or WAN?

  • Sharing files is easier
  • You can share the same hardware (like printers)
  • The Internet connection can be shared between every device connected to the LAN or WAN
  • You can install and update software on all computers at once, rather than one by one
  • You can communicate with users cheaply and easily
  • User accounts can be stored centrally, so users can log in from any device on the network
• What are the pros of a client-server network?

  • Easier to keep track of files as they stored centrally
  • Easier to perform back-ups
  • Easier to install and update software
  • Easier to manage network security (e.g. anti-malware software and user access levels)
  • Servers are very reliable and are always on
• What are the cons of a client-server network?

  • Expensive to set up and needs IT specialists to maintain the network and server
  • Server dependence- if the server goes down all clients lose access to their work
  • The server may become overloaded if too many clients are accessing it at once
• What are the pros of a peer-to-peer network?

  • Easy to maintain- you don't need any expertise or expensive hardware
  • No dependence on server- if one device fails the whole network isn't lost
• What are the cons of a peer-to-peer network?

  • No centralised management- devices need their updates and security installed individually. Back-ups are also more complicated
  • Copying files between devices create duplicate files- it's easy to lose track of what's stored where and which files are up to date
  • Peer machines are less reliable and data may be lost if one fails
  • Machines are prone to slow down when other devices access them
• A student from Institution A says “Star networks are the same as client server networks”.

  Explain why the student may not be correct

  A network topology describes how devices are physically connected. A network model describes how data and resources are managed. A star topology can be used in a client server network, but it can also be used in other types of networks, like peer-to-peer.
• How can Wi-Fi frequency effect the performance of a network?

  5GHz frequency can carry more data per second than a 2.4GHz frequency.
• How can interference effect the performance of a network?


  Objects can limit range or even block the signal.
• How can the number of concurrent users effect the performance of a network?


  More traffic means the same bandwidth is split between the users
• What are some characteristics of a LAN?

  • Small geographical area
  • No external hardware / infrastructure
  • Computers use MAC address to communicate within the LAN
• Describe the benefits of the student changing their home LAN to include wireless connections.

  • Allows more devices to connect for example televisions, mobile phones
  • Easy to connect devices
  • Cheaper to setup for new devices because no additional wires are needed
  • Fewer trip hazards from trailing wires
  • More compatible
• State some drawbacks of changing their home LAN to include wireless connections.

  • Prone to interference
  • Limited range of signal
  • Slower rate of transmission / less bandwidth
  • Increased risk of security concerns
  • Less stable connection
  • Higher chance of collisions /Higher error rate