local area network
noun
: a network of personal computers in a small area (such as an office) for sharing resources (such as a printer) or exchanging data
called also LAN
Examples of local area network in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
History of Ethernet First created in 1973 by a group of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) engineers, including Robert Metcalfe and David Boggs, Ethernet allowed people to connect multiple computers in a local area network (LAN).
—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
27 Apr. 2026
Most of these require local area network (LAN) cables that can get tangled, says Narukiyo.
—
Katherine Bourzac,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 2026
This merger brings together the second (HPE) and third (Juniper) largest wireless local network providers of wireless local area network (WLAN) in the United States (Cisco is number one).
—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
For example, it is currently engaged in trying to push its own standards for software encryption and wireless local area networks as global International Organization for Standardization standards.
—
Elizabeth Economy,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Nov. 2010
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Simon Hill,
Wired News,
27 Apr. 2026
Most of these require local area network (LAN) cables that can get tangled, says Narukiyo.
—
Katherine Bourzac,
IEEE Spectrum,
2 Apr. 2026
This merger brings together the second (HPE) and third (Juniper) largest wireless local network providers of wireless local area network (WLAN) in the United States (Cisco is number one).
—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
For example, it is currently engaged in trying to push its own standards for software encryption and wireless local area networks as global International Organization for Standardization standards.
—
Elizabeth Economy,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Nov. 2010
Cite this Entry
“Local area network.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/local%20area%20network. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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