HP Jetdirect 200m HP Jetdirect 200m Print Server (English) User Guide - Page 21

NETWORKS L is for Local The "local" in "local area network" means that the network is in a single location. A LAN can be small enough to serve a home office or a small business, or it can be large enough to serve a school, a hospital, or a substantial business or public office. It can cover several buildings, as long as they can all be connected into a single network. Several types of LAN equipment are available to expand a LAN beyond the workgroup-sized unit typically served by a single hub. Note that the definition of a local area network does not include broader networks such as the Internet or a corporate network with locations in many cities or countries. These broader networks are often called WANs, or wide area networks. It is possible for a LAN to connect to such a network through a gateway -- a device that connects different types of networks. The gateway can be a separate piece of equipment, or it can include the LAN hub. (This latter type of gateway is becoming increasingly common for Internet connections, particularly for highspeed DSL connections.)