What is the Difference Between a LAN and the Internet?
A local area network (LAN) is a private network that links computers at a single location, such as at a private residence or office building. Establishing a LAN allows files, software and devices like printers and fax machines to be shared among users on the LAN. The Internet, by contrast, is a global, public, Wide Area Network (WAN) that links millions of smaller networks with over a billion computers connected at any given time. The most basic difference between a LAN and the Internet then, is that a LAN is private and localized, while the Internet is public and worldwide. A LAN is able to facilitate sharing of files and resources by linking computers together through a central device known as a router. The router acts as a go-between, directing data traffic on the LAN. Computers can be connected to a router using Ethernet cable, or a router can communicate wirelessly using radio waves. The Internet links millions of networks through T1 telephone lines, fiber optic cable and other te
