LANs & WANs - Word Drop

Some computers are ______ machines with no connection to a network, so any file must be carried to another user on a disc or an external drive. Joining computers together into a network lets users share the same files and ______ such as printers. It also lets them communicate by email and video conferencing, and makes backing up easier because files are stored centrally.

A local area network, or ______, covers a small geographical area such as one school or office. All of its cabling and hardware belong to the ______ that runs it, so no outside company provides the connections.

A wide area network, or ______, joins two or more networks that are a long distance apart. The links between them are ______ rented from a telecommunications company. The largest example in the world is the ______, which connects networks across the globe.

On a single site, a ______ connects the computers together and knows the MAC address of every device, so data goes only to the computer it is addressed to. Where one network meets another, a ______ forwards each ______ towards the network that is closer to its destination.